Erika Death Toll Rises in Caribbean as Hurricane Fred Forms Off African Coast

— -- Rescue crews are continuing to search for more than 50 people still missing in Dominica after Tropical Storm Erika caused flooding and mudslides on the Caribbean island.

The death toll in Dominica has risen to 20.

Officials are working to evacuate roughly 1,000 people from the town of Petite-Savanne because of fears of new landslides, said Don Corritte, director of the office of disaster management. Evacuations were carried out by boat because of damage to roads and bridges.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said all the residents of the town in the country's southeast would be evacuated today. He declared disaster status for nine areas, calling the extent of the devastation "monumental."

"Access by road to these communities is impossible," he said. These towns "are cut off from the rest of the country."

That same storm system, while weakened, is expected to bring up to 6 inches of rain to parts of Florida today.

In the Tampa area, which has already seen more than 15 inches of rain this month, people proactively filled sandbags, hoping to contain the potential flooding.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Fred is forming near the Cape Verde Islands, off the western coast of Africa.

Fred, the second hurricane in the Atlantic Basin this year, has sustained winds near 80 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Cape Verde Islands. After Fred moves through the islands, it is forecast to move into the open Atlantic Ocean and not affect any land.

Fred is expected to start to weaken on Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.