Rescue crews and personnel trudged through the devastated terrain in Dominica Sunday, working around mud, landslides, fallen rocks and uprooted trees to reach communities that were isolated due to the effects of Tropical Storm Erika, which left at least 20 dead and more than 50 people missing.
Volunteers also mobilized to help out people affected by the storm, carrying food, water, clothes and other relief goods. Some Dominicans have been unable to get any help for the past three days due to access roads being rendered unusable after Tropical Storm Erika dumped about 15 inches of rain on the country, according to the Herald News.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit stated he was declaring disaster status for nine local areas which were hit hard by the tropical storm.
"Access by road to these communities is impossible," he said. "These towns are cut off from the rest of the country."
The prime minister further stated that the devastation left by the typhoon affected the country's development significantly, setting it back as much as two decades, reported Fox News. Skerrit also appealed to receive international aid for the country.
Tropical Storm Erika has become one of the notable storms to hit and damage several countries in recent months, as covered previously by HNGN.
