Florida

Need To Contact A Loved One in Dominica Post Hurricane Maria Destruction? Here's How

Overnight Tuesday Hurricane Maria smashed into Dominica with 160 mph winds, ripping the roof off even the prime minister's residence and causing what he called "mind-boggling" devastation as it plunged into a Caribbean region already ravaged by Hurricane Irma.

The hurricane causing widespread outages and as of late Tuesday afternoon communication to the island is sparse.

The island houses Ross University School of Medicine. As of Tuesday morning the school posted on Facebook that there is a widespread loss of communication on the island.

"We are working aggressively through various options to get information and assess the situation. As we know more, we will provide updates," the school posted on Facebook.

Families in the United States are begging for information regarding their loved ones. Many sharing that they last heard from their child or friend around 9 p.m. Monday.

"Please I'm desperate my daughter is a student at Ross university and haven't heard from her since yesterday," posted Magie Beiro. Her daughter, Amanda Sandos, is a medical student at Ross and lives in the island with her husband, Travis Sandos.

If you have a family member or friend that attends Ross University you can contact their 24-hour hotline based in Florida: 1-800-488-8790. Keep in mind the hotline is manned by personnel located in the United States.

You can also report an American citizen to the U.S. Dominica Embassy by calling 246-227-4399.

Plus, the American Red Cross is working with the global Red Cross Red Crescent network and has also begun filing reunification forms. You're asked to provide a name, phone number and address of the person you are looking for.

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