Storm Erika update: Hundreds displaced in Dominica, Carolinas drenched, flooding risk announced from Florida to Georgia
Dominica residents and officials are still evaluating the amount of damage left by tropical storm Erika after it grazed the Caribbean island, leaving more than 20 people dead and several dozens missing.
According to News Week, the small island of only an estimated 72,000 people, experienced huge mudslides. Flooding destroyed roads, bridges, homes, and left many of the residents displaced.
The Red Cross reported that about 10,000 to 20,000 people have been heavily affected by the recorded 13 inches of rain that fell for about half a day, and almost half of the island went out of power at the peak of the storm.
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While Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit declared nine local areas as "disaster zones," several outlets reported that more than 25 people have died in the southern part of the area alone, particularly in Petite Savanne.
There have been 109 residents evacuated from Petite Savanne to Roseau by rescue teams over the weekend, and come Sunday, workers put themselves to work in Dominica's main airport for its reopening.
Meanwhile, parts of Florida and the Carolinas have been soaked by the storm on Monday, with Charleston, South Carolina, recording 6.4 inches of rain. The historic downtown areas saw water coming around the corners and waist-high flooding was reported in several sites.
As residents start to see dry ground again, the same storm that also destroyed millions of dollars in crops in Puerto Rico has unleashed new flooding risks from Florida toward Georgia.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski says areas along the Florida and Georgia coast will see flooding during the midweek, as a result of a combination of moisture from Erika and a non-tropical system.
The remnants of Erika's center were spotted somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico's northeastern parts and were later seen moving toward the northeast on Tuesday. The outlet's hurricane moisture expert Dan Kottlowski notes that "Erika's moisture will produce spotty flooding over the coastal sections of the southeastern United States as it drifts northward and merges with a non-tropical low pressure area."
Kottlowski adds that there is a chance for another non-tropical storm system to develop near the Carolina coast so residents are encouraged to stay alert.
