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Tropical Storm Erika Kills 20 In Caribbean

At least 20 people have died after Tropical Storm Erika hit the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica, the nation's prime minister has said.

Another 31 people were missing on the island after the storm, which also killed five people in Haiti.

Dominica's premier Roosevelt Skerrit said hundreds of homes, bridges and roads had been destroyed, setting the island back two decades.

"The extent of the devastation is monumental. It is far worse than expected," he said. "We have, in essence, to rebuild Dominica."

He said authorities have not been able to reach some communities cut off by landslides, mudslides and flooding after Erika dumped 38cm (15in) of rain.

The US National Hurricane Center said Erika "dissipated" as a tropical storm on Saturday.

Florida Governor Rick Scott had earlier declared a state of emergency, but Erika no longer poses a hurricane threat.

Erika also hit Puerto Rico early on Friday, knocking out power to some 200,000 people.

There were no immediate reports of casualties on the island.