ERIKA SANTELICES/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Erika dissipated Saturday morning as it pushed over Hispaniola and Cuba.
As the storm was moving towards Cuba, it dissipated due to higher terrain and unfavorable atmospheric conditions. The National Hurricane Center canceled all tropical storm watches and warnings related to the storm at about 9 a.m.
Before losing strength, Erika caused widespread devastation on the small Caribbean island of Dominica, killing at least 20 people and leaving more missing.
“The extent of the devastation is monumental. It is far worse than expected,” Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said in a statement Friday. “We have, in essence, to rebuild Dominica.”
The main impacts to Florida will likely be heavy rain and breezy winds during the early portion of next week.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s expected approach late Sunday.
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