Europe mobilises to aid stricken Caribbean islands
PARIS: France, the Netherlands and Britain on Thursday rushed to provide water, emergency rations and rescue teams to territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, with aid efforts complicated by damage to local airports and harbours.
The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe confirmed four people were killed and 50 more injured.
Helicopter footage showed the holiday destination transformed into a disaster zone, with cars and shipping containers overturned, buildings stripped of their roofs, and wrecked boats and palm trees flung far and wide.
Electricity and mobile phone networks have been knocked out.
“Lots of people are just wandering around aimlessly, as they have no homes any more and don’t know what to do,” local newspaper editor Paul de Windt told the Paradise FM radio station from the island, which is home to around 80,000 people.
Philippe said 60 per cent of homes had been rendered uninhabitable by the impact of Irma’s winds, clocked at up to 295 kilometres per hour.
The airport on the Dutch part of St Martin, known as Sint Maarten in the Netherlands, has been badly damaged and the harbour was out of service, making it difficult for authorities to bring in supplies.
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the airport on the French side had “not been hit so much,” allowing helicopters and other aircraft to fly in 100,000 emergency rations, fresh water and equipment.
French rescue efforts are being coordinated from Guadeloupe, a French overseas department.
Philippe said 400 gendarmes, 400 firefighters and troops, Red Cross volunteers and about 20 health professionals were now deployed there.
The authorities are mobilising two French Navy frigates, seven civilian ships, half a dozen planes and eight helicopters to provide transport.