
Tropical storm Erika has hit the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica, killing at least four people and unleashing landslides there.
The storm caused power outages, knocked out water supplies and dumped 38 centimeters of rain on the small island, authorities said on Thursday.
Several people have been also reported missing across the island.
Police Superintendent Daniel Carbon said that people have been advised to stay put, adding that he received reports of several injuries.
Ian Pinard, Dominica’s communications minister, described the situation as “grim” and “dangerous”.
The main airport was closed due to flooding, with water rushing over cars, and at least one small plane and the scaffolding of some buildings collapsed.
The storm was packing winds of 75 kilometers (46 miles) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center in the southern city of Miami, Florida.
The storm could reach the state of Florida as a hurricane on Monday, one level up from its current tropical storm status.
Erika was expected to move near and possibly make landfall in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands later on Thursday.
Puerto Rico seemed excited that the storm was coming its way, with Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla saying that the storm could bring badly needed rains to the parched US territory.
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