China offers US $300,000 in aid to storm-hit Dominica

China is offering US $300,000 as emergency humanitarian assistance for storm-devastated Dominica, the commerce ministry announced on Saturday.

The funds are meant "to convey the Chinese government and people's sympathy and support to the government and people of Dominica" to assist in the start of disaster relief and support housing reconstruction, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Dominica -- a small island country of about 72,000 people -- was hit by Tropical Storm Erika on Friday, leaving at least 20 people dead. Erika unleashed torrential rains that triggered devastating floods and mudslides, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit saying that the damage "may have set our development process back by 20 years".

The storm churned across the Caribbean on Saturday, with the US state of Florida declaring a state of emergency and Cuba also issuing an alert.