As Florida Preps for Storm That Was Erika, Caribbean Tallies Damage
Only remnants of the tropical storm that used to be Erika barreled toward Florida on Sunday night, but the state was still preparing for what the National Weather Service described as strong winds and heavy rain, and the governor was still urging vigilance.
Erika began weakening Saturday after it killed at least 20 people in the Caribbean last week and caused Florida Gov. Rick Scott to issue a state of emergency Friday. Flood watches were in effect from southern Georgia to Miami, The Weather Channel reported, and rip currents were expected all the way to the Carolinas.
In the Caribbean, hard-hit countries were still tallying the damage.
In Dominica, where nearly 13 inches of rain fell in as many hours, according to The Weather Channel, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit recounted Erika's "monumental" destruction in an emotional televised address: Bridges had been washed away, he said. Highways and roads were destroyed. At least 20 people were dead, and more were missing.
"This is a period of national tragedy," he said, adding that the storm had damaged "nearly every community" on the island.
"We have, in essence, to rebuild Dominica," he said.
In Puerto Rico, 200,000 people lost power and million of dollars in crops were destroyed. In Haiti, mudslides blocked roads, a prison was evacuated and rain appeared to have caused firey truck crash killed four people and injured 11 others.
NBC Miami: Erika Dissipates Over Hispanola; Remnants to Affect South Florida
In the Pacific, meanwhile, Hurricane Ignacio was churning toward Hawaii. The storm — once a Category 4 system — had begun weakening by late Sunday morning, a trend that was expected to continue in the coming days, The Weather Channel reported.
Tropical storm watches were in effect for the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe, according to the National Weather Service, and the storm's center is expected to pass by the state to the north on Monday and Tuesday, according to The Weather Channel.
Erika is a particularly wet storm, and was expected to dump up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain across the drought-stricken region.
Given how weak the storm is and how dry Puerto Rico and parts of Florida have been, "it could be a net benefit, this thing," said MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel.
The center of Erika was located about 25 miles (45 kilometers) southeast of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and was moving west at about 21 mph (33 kph), the Hurricane Center said. The storm's maximum sustained winds dropped slightly to 45 mph (75 kph).
The storm previously slid to the south of Puerto Rico, knocking out power to more than 200,000 people and causing more than $16 million in damage to crops including plantains, bananas and coffee, but causing no major damage or injuries.
Dominica, meanwhile, was struggling in the aftermath. Assistant Police Superintendent Claude Weekes said authorities still haven't been able to access many areas in the mountainous island because of impassable roads and bridges. "The aftermath is loads of damage," he said. "It really has been devastating."
An elderly blind man and two children were killed when a mudslide engulfed their home in the southeast of Dominica. Another man was found dead in the capital following a mudslide at his home.
People on the island told of narrowly escaping being engulfed by water as Erika downed trees and power lines while unleashing heavy floods that swept cars down streets and ripped scaffolding off some buildings.
"I was preparing to go to work when all of a sudden I heard this loud noise and saw the place flooded with water," said Shanie James, a 30-year-old mother who works at a bakery. "We had to run for survival."
Mudslides destroyed dozens of homes across Dominica, including that of 46-year-old security guard Peter Julian, who had joined friends after leaving work.
"When I returned, I saw that my house that I have lived in for over 20 years was gone," he said. "I am blessed to be alive. God was not ready for me ... I have lost everything and now have to start all over again."
Meanwhile in the Pacific, Ignacio strengthened into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). It was centered about 785 miles (1,260 kilometers) east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and was moving northwest near 8 mph (13 kph).
Also in the Pacific, Jimena turned into a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 105 mph (165 kph). It was centered about 1,135 miles (1,825 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. It does not pose a threat to land.
Erika death toll: 20 deaths in Dominica
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- Tropical Storm Erika began to lose steam Friday as it dumped rain over Haiti and the Dominican Republic, but it left behind a trail of destruction that included at least twenty people killed on the small eastern Caribbean island of Dominica, authorities said.
Heavy winds from the storm toppled trees and power lines in the Dominican Republic as it began to cut across neighboring Haiti.
Erika's heavy rains set off floods and mudslides in Dominica that are now blamed for at least a dozen deaths, the government said. At least two dozen people remained missing and authorities warned the death toll could rise.
"There are additional bodies recovered but it is an ongoing operation," Police Chief Daniel Carbon said, declining to provide specifics. "It will take us a couple of days to recover as many bodies as we can. So the count will increase."
CARIFESTA showcase continues in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) - Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Irwin LaRoque, toured the exhibition booths Grand Market at the Caribbean Festival of the Arts (CARIFESTA), last week, as the French speaking Caribbean nation pulled out all the stops for the event.
The 12th edition of CARIFESTA opened on Friday, August 21st with LaRoque saying it was a historic occasion for Haiti and the region.
He added that he was pleased to see that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)“ responded to the call to celebrate in Haiti as it hosts CARIFESTA for the first time.
LaRocque reiterated the CARICOM heads of government, ministers of culture and the artistic community’s commitment to the implementation of a new and improved CARIFESTA, stating that everyone should do their best to ensure that each edition of the festival is in line with the region’s mission and brings us closer to the goal of presenting a “world-renowned mega festival of Caribbean cultural and artistic excellence that brings economic benefits, unites the region and excites all peoples”.
The nine day festival continued with fashion shows and performances from groups representing the member states.
CARIFESTA is the region’s roving multi-disciplinary mega event that showcases the cultural expressions of artists in more than 30 countries in the region.
It was established in 1972 by regional government leaders to celebrate the arts, foster a vision of Caribbean unity and to positively advance Caribbean culture regionally and internationally.
Haiti snubs Dominican Republic´s “owners”
Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic´s biggest truckers union (Fenatrado) – dubbed the country´s “owners” for their often violent strikes with apparent impunity- complained recently that Haiti´s government has exacerbated their walkout now in its fourth week, by failing to show up for previously agreed meetings.
Fenatrado president Blas Peralta said a scheduled meeting on Monday was rescheduled for Tuesday and then suspended “for no apparent reason,” and there hasn’t been any communication with the Haitians since.
He said after more than three weeks since the flow of trucks has been halted, senior Haitian government officials agreed to meet to solve the deadlock and resume the haul of freight, interrupted when several truckers were victims of attacks.
"For Monday, we agreed a meeting with Haitian authorities, without explanation we were left waiting. Then we met on Tuesday and Thursday we told we would get a response. But it is Saturday and we still haven’t heard from them," Peralta said.
“There are sectors who want chaos both in this country and in Haiti. We believed that we would by now have a solution to this problem on Wednesday and wasn’t resolved. A commission was convened in Jimani (west), they were there that day to reach an agreement and the next day the Haitian government would sign it, but we´re still waiting."
The construction project for the Ministry of the Public works is moving forward quickly!
The three-story building that will shelter the Ministry of the Public Works, Transportation and Communications, financed by the European Union with 4,168,413 euros, is moving forward quickly and is two months away from completion.
Charles Jean Jacques, the national regulator of the European Development Fund (FED), accompanied by foreign and Haitian technicians working on the site, visited the construction site situated on Delmas 33 to ask about the state of progress of the infrastructure. This visit is the second by the regulator following the last one April http: // www.haitilibre.com/article-13725-haiti-reconstruction-suivi-du-chantier-du-nou-nouveau-ministere-des-travaux-publics.html
Together with Édouard Excellent, Coordinator and Emmanuel Fexile, Technical Adviser, the National Regulator explored the three-story building and received explanations and answers to his questions. During his visit, he explained the advantages of completing the project on time according to schedule.
Engineer Vincenzo Candido, Project Manager of the firm R.I.S.P.A on this construction site, said, "The next stages are: the electrification, the plumbing, the installation of ceramic tiles and the air conditioning. The installation of doors and windows and the completion of the roof will come then." Objectives, he believes, can be reached according to schedule.
Mrs. Martine Desruisseaux, the architect for the project, is also confident but careful, asserting "There is reason to hope that everything will take place as expected."
Let us remember that this project, which started in July, 2014 should be finished by the end of October, 2015 (in spite of a 3 month delay).
LES MISERABLES ACTOR KYLE JEAN BAPTISTE DIES AT 21
Broadway actor Kyle Jean-Baptiste has died after falling off his mother’s fire escape. He was 21.
Jean-Baptiste made Broadway history as the understudy for “Les Miserables” character Jean Valjean. When Jean-Baptiste stepped into the role, he became both the youngest actor to do so and the first African-American actor to play Valjean on Broadway. When he was not filling in as Valjean, the actor played the roles of Constable and Courfeyrac in the musical.
The company of “Les Mis” released the following statement on Jean-Baptiste’s death: “The entire ‘Les Miserables’ family is shocked and devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of Kyle, a remarkable young talent and tremendous person who made magic — and history — in his Broadway debut. We send our deepest condolences to his family and ask that you respect their privacy in this unimaginably difficult time.”
Broadway veteran Kristin Chenoweth tweeted her condolences, sending her “love and hugs to his family” and the “Les Mis” cast.