Erika was a tropical storm whose torrential rains inflicted significant casualties and damage on the Caribbean island of Dominica. The largest rainfall amounts associated with Erika, by far, were observed on Dominica, where maximum totals reached 12.62 inches. Practically all of this precipitation occurred on 27 August. The devastation on the mountainous country was island wide, but was particularly intense in nine communities, mainly in the capital and along the southeastern, west and eastern corridor. A large portion of the 71,293 residents live close to the shoreline or in valleys which are prone to the effects of flooding and landslides.
These torrential rains produced catastrophic flooding and mud slides over the island. Erika was responsible for 30 direct deaths, all in Dominica. Also, 574 persons on that island were left homeless by the storm. In Dominica, 271 houses were reportedly damaged or destroyed. There was also major damage to roads, bridges and other infrastructure on the island. Press accounts of total damage estimates for Dominica were highly variable but ranged up to $500 million (U.S.). The death toll in Dominica following the passage of Tropical storm Erika was 35, 27 persons were reported dead in Petite Savanne from a massive mudslide that demolished several houses. Among the dead are at least three entire families swallowed up by the mudslide. The deaths in Petite Savanne add to the 8 other deaths reported elsewhere on the Island. Two children and an elderly man died in Good Hope while two brothers were swept away in Bath Estate. Individuals also reportedly died in Castle Bruce, Delices and Marigot. Approximately 28,000 persons were affected by the storm and 574 persons were left homeless. Widespread damage reported in the education sector
Erika greatly affected Dominica’s economy. Flooding and landslides severely damaged transport infrastructure, tourism, and substantially diminished agricultural production capacity. The main airports maintained limited operations for months. Roads and bridges were destroyed and remained unusable for months. It was not until January 2016 that the water and sewage network was in full capacity.
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