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| Hurricane Maria 'leaves 15 dead in Dominica' | Hurricane Maria 'leaves 15 dead in Dominica' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| At least 15 people are dead and 20 others are missing on Dominica after Hurricane Maria, the Caribbean island's prime minister has said. | At least 15 people are dead and 20 others are missing on Dominica after Hurricane Maria, the Caribbean island's prime minister has said. |
| It was a miracle that the death toll was not in the hundreds, PM Roosevelt Skerrit tearfully told a local television station. | It was a miracle that the death toll was not in the hundreds, PM Roosevelt Skerrit tearfully told a local television station. |
| Hurricane Maria ripped through Dominica as a category four storm late on Monday, damaging hundreds of homes. | Hurricane Maria ripped through Dominica as a category four storm late on Monday, damaging hundreds of homes. |
| The storm later devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the whole island without power. | The storm later devastated Puerto Rico, leaving the whole island without power. |
| Mr Skerrit said he has spent the last 24 hours surveying by air the destruction caused by the powerful storm. | Mr Skerrit said he has spent the last 24 hours surveying by air the destruction caused by the powerful storm. |
| "It has been brutal," he said on Thursday on the nearby island of Antigua. "We've never seen such destruction." | "It has been brutal," he said on Thursday on the nearby island of Antigua. "We've never seen such destruction." |
| Homes have been flattened, schools have been destroyed, telecommunications have been cut off and the island's main hospital is still without electricity, he said. | Homes have been flattened, schools have been destroyed, telecommunications have been cut off and the island's main hospital is still without electricity, he said. |
| The hospital's generators had to be set aside because of flooding and officials were still working to see if they could be turned on. | The hospital's generators had to be set aside because of flooding and officials were still working to see if they could be turned on. |
| He added the island is "going to need all the help the world has to offer". | He added the island is "going to need all the help the world has to offer". |
| Meanwhile, authorities in Puerto Rico are urging residents to seek higher ground ahead of flash flooding - with up to 30 inches (76cm) more rain predicted by Saturday - in the aftermath of Maria. | Meanwhile, authorities in Puerto Rico are urging residents to seek higher ground ahead of flash flooding - with up to 30 inches (76cm) more rain predicted by Saturday - in the aftermath of Maria. |
| The island's Governor Ricardo Rossello described the hurricane as "the most devastating storm in a century" and said that Maria had hit the island's electricity grid so badly that it could take months to restore power. | The island's Governor Ricardo Rossello described the hurricane as "the most devastating storm in a century" and said that Maria had hit the island's electricity grid so badly that it could take months to restore power. |
| Images shared on social media show roofs being stripped away as winds as strong as 140 mph (225 km/h) whipped trees and power lines in Puerto Rico's capital city, San Juan. | Images shared on social media show roofs being stripped away as winds as strong as 140 mph (225 km/h) whipped trees and power lines in Puerto Rico's capital city, San Juan. |
| Maria, now a category three storm, is moving off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and heading towards the Turks and Caicos Islands. | |
| The storm has claimed at least 17 lives so far across the Caribbean, with many others missing, officials say. Two people were killed in the French territory of Guadeloupe. | |
| US President Donald Trump said the storm had "totally obliterated" the US territory, and pledged to visit Puerto Rico. | US President Donald Trump said the storm had "totally obliterated" the US territory, and pledged to visit Puerto Rico. |
| He has yet to declare the island a disaster area but has made federal emergency aid available. | He has yet to declare the island a disaster area but has made federal emergency aid available. |
| It is the second devastating storm to hit the Caribbean this hurricane season - the first being category five Irma earlier in September. | |
| Irma was one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, killing at least 84 people in the Caribbean and US. | |
| The hurricane followed Harvey, which killed more than 80 people after it barrelled through Texas last month. |