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| Hurricane Maria 'devastates' Dominica: PM | Hurricane Maria 'devastates' Dominica: PM |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Dominica has suffered "widespread damage" from Hurricane Maria, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says. | Dominica has suffered "widespread damage" from Hurricane Maria, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says. |
| "We have lost all that money can buy," he said in a Facebook post. | "We have lost all that money can buy," he said in a Facebook post. |
| The hurricane suddenly strengthened to a "potentially catastrophic" category five storm, before making landfall on the Caribbean island. | The hurricane suddenly strengthened to a "potentially catastrophic" category five storm, before making landfall on the Caribbean island. |
| Earlier Mr Skerrit had posted live updates as his own roof was torn off, saying he was "at the complete mercy of the hurricane". | Earlier Mr Skerrit had posted live updates as his own roof was torn off, saying he was "at the complete mercy of the hurricane". |
| "My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains," he wrote after being rescued. | "My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains," he wrote after being rescued. |
| Maria is moving roughly along the same track as Irma, the hurricane that devastated the region earlier this month. | Maria is moving roughly along the same track as Irma, the hurricane that devastated the region earlier this month. |
| It has maximum sustained winds of 260km/h (160mph), and was downgraded to a category four after hitting Dominica, before picking up full strength again. | |
| Life-threatening mudslides, flash floods and storm surges have been predicted by the US National Hurricane Center, which monitors the region. | Life-threatening mudslides, flash floods and storm surges have been predicted by the US National Hurricane Center, which monitors the region. |
| How was Dominica affected? | How was Dominica affected? |
| Dominica, a former British colony with a population of 72,000, is less than 50km long and 25km wide, and the eye of the storm passed directly over it. | Dominica, a former British colony with a population of 72,000, is less than 50km long and 25km wide, and the eye of the storm passed directly over it. |
| It made landfall at 21:00 local time (01:00 GMT Tuesday), and Dominica's PM has called the damage "devastating" and "mind boggling". | It made landfall at 21:00 local time (01:00 GMT Tuesday), and Dominica's PM has called the damage "devastating" and "mind boggling". |
| "My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured," he said, and called on the international community for help. "We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds." | "My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured," he said, and called on the international community for help. "We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds." |
| Curtis Matthew, a journalist based in the capital, Roseau, told the BBC that conditions went "very bad, rapidly". | Curtis Matthew, a journalist based in the capital, Roseau, told the BBC that conditions went "very bad, rapidly". |
| "We still don't know what the impact is going to be when this is all over. But what I can say it does not look good for Dominica as we speak," he said. | "We still don't know what the impact is going to be when this is all over. But what I can say it does not look good for Dominica as we speak," he said. |
| All ports and airports are closed and residents near the coast have been ordered to go to authorised shelters. | All ports and airports are closed and residents near the coast have been ordered to go to authorised shelters. |
| How did it gather strength so fast? | How did it gather strength so fast? |
| Maria jumped from a category three to a brutal category five within just a few hours, which was an unexpected shock for people in Dominica. | Maria jumped from a category three to a brutal category five within just a few hours, which was an unexpected shock for people in Dominica. |
| A factor in its rapid development is that local sea surface temperatures are currently anomalously high by a margin of around one to two degrees, says BBC weather forecaster Steve Cleaton. | A factor in its rapid development is that local sea surface temperatures are currently anomalously high by a margin of around one to two degrees, says BBC weather forecaster Steve Cleaton. |
| The elevated sea surface temperature will have contributed to the rapid development of this system, in concert with other very favourable atmospheric conditions within the locale such as low wind shear, our meteorologist adds. | The elevated sea surface temperature will have contributed to the rapid development of this system, in concert with other very favourable atmospheric conditions within the locale such as low wind shear, our meteorologist adds. |
| Where next? | Where next? |
| Maria is currently off the south shores of the French island Guadeloupe, where authorities have told residents to seek shelter and not go out under any circumstances. | |
| Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory just to its north, is likely to be affected after that. | Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory just to its north, is likely to be affected after that. |
| Both islands have been issued with hurricane warnings, along with St Kitts and Nevis, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. | Both islands have been issued with hurricane warnings, along with St Kitts and Nevis, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. |
| Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Antigua, as well as Barbuda, St Martin and Anguilla, all of which are still reeling after Irma. | |
| UK territories prepare for worst | |
| There is a similar warning for Dutch islands Saba and St Eustatius. | There is a similar warning for Dutch islands Saba and St Eustatius. |
| In the British Virgin Islands, British authorities - who have been working on Irma relief projects - are among those who have expressed fears that debris left behind by the first storm could be whipped up by the second, posing an extra threat. | |
| Where has it passed? | Where has it passed? |
| As the hurricane struck in the middle of the night it has been difficult to assess the extent of the damage so far. | As the hurricane struck in the middle of the night it has been difficult to assess the extent of the damage so far. |
| The French territory of Martinique has been hit by power cuts but is thought to have escaped serious damage. | |
| "Reconnaissance operations are still under way but already we can see that there is no significant damage," said Jacques Witkowski, France's head of civil protection and crisis response, according to Reuters. | |
| AFP news agency said there were reports of flooding, mudslides and power outages in parts of St Lucia. | |
| Both places had their hurricane warnings downgraded to tropical storm watch. | Both places had their hurricane warnings downgraded to tropical storm watch. |
| However, in this part of the world, the danger does not always pass when the hurricane moves on. Heavy rains mean mudslides can still be a risk. | However, in this part of the world, the danger does not always pass when the hurricane moves on. Heavy rains mean mudslides can still be a risk. |
| Will Irma relief work be affected? | Will Irma relief work be affected? |
| Some islands in Maria's path escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma and have been used as bases to distribute relief to places that were not so fortunate. | Some islands in Maria's path escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma and have been used as bases to distribute relief to places that were not so fortunate. |
| Now there are concerns that that this work could be jeopardised if they are badly hit too. | Now there are concerns that that this work could be jeopardised if they are badly hit too. |
| Guadeloupe has been a bridgehead for aid going to Irma-hit French territories, while Puerto Rico - which is expected to be hit later on Tuesday by Maria - has also been offering crucial assistance to its neighbours. | |
| Overseas forces mobilise | |
| Britain, France, the US and the Netherlands all have overseas territories in the Caribbean. | |
| The British government said more than 1,300 troops were staying put in the region and an additional military team had been deployed. A 42-strong military resilience team has also been deployed to the British Virgin Islands. | |
| French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told AFP that 110 more soldiers would be sent to the region to reinforce about 3,000 people already there. | |
| The Dutch navy tweeted that troops were heading to Saba and St Eustatius to bolster security, after St Martin - an island shared between France and the Netherlands - was hit by looting after the earlier hurricane. | |
| President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for US territories - Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands - on Monday. | |
| Are you in an area affected by Hurricane Maria? If it's safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in an area affected by Hurricane Maria? If it's safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |