Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said there is “widespread devastation” on the former British colony, just hours after he was rescued from his official residence.
Ninety-minutes after Maria was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane, the centre of the storm passed almost directly over the island, with winds reaching 160 mph, with higher gusts, the US National Hurricane Center reported.
The politician detailed his rescue by updating his Facebook status, writing at about 9.15pm local time (2.15am BST): “My roof is gone. I am at the complete mercy of the hurricane.
“House is flooding.”
An hour later, he said: “I have been rescued.”
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At 1.20am (6.20am BST), he revealed after his roof was ripped off this “triggered an avalanche of torn away roofs in the city and the countryside” which has resulted in almost every roof on the island with a 72,000-strong population being swept away.
He spoke of his grief at how the second Category 5 storm to hit the Caribbean this month had caused utter catastrophe on the small island.
Mr Skerrit, who has been PM since 2004, wrote: “Initial reports are of widespread devastation.
“So far we have lost all what money can buy and replace.
“My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains.”
He and his team were getting ready to “hit the road” in the morning when the all clear is given so they can search for those injured and trapped in rubble.
The PM, added: “I am honestly not preoccupied with physical damage at this time, because it is devastating…indeed, mind boggling.
“My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured.
“We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds.”
Mr Skerrit said he suspected the island’s airport and seaports will be inoperable for a few days so was pleading for “friendly nations and organisations with helicopter services” to help rescue Dominicans and to help him “get up and get around the country to see and determine what’s needed”.
Up to 15in (38cm) of rain is predicted to fall as Hurricane Maria barrels across the Caribbean, with “isolated maximum amounts of 20in (51cm)” expected to deluge the British Virgin Islands.
In Anguilla up to 8in (20cm) could be recorded. The National Hurricane Centre has warned that “rainfall on these islands could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides”.
Hurricane warnings have also been issued for Guadeloupe, St Kitts and Nevis, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico where a state of emergency has been declared amid fears of a direct hit.
Hurricane Maria arrived in the region less than two weeks after Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful storms in decades, unleashed devastation.
More than 1,300 UK troops are currently deployed in the region, and were sent to help with relief and repair work after Hurricane Irma caused chaos.
An additional 42-strong military resilience team has also been deployed to the British Virgin Islands ready to offer support and assistance after Maria has hit.
HMS Ocean, which is carrying another 60 tonnes of aid to complement the 75 tonnes of DfID relief items which have already arrived, will drop anchor in the region this weekend.