FORCE OF NATURE...

A car flung onto its roof by the force of Hurricane Irma in the French island of St Martin, and boats piled up against the shore in Paraquita Bay as the eye of hurricane passed Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands. The Caribbean has felt the full impact of the worst storm to come out of the Atlantic Ocean in history. It is expected to make landfall on the southern part of Florida by Sunday

The Federal Government of Nigeria has offered to assist the ravaged islands of Antigua and Barbuda in Northern Caribbean currently struck by Hurricane Irma.

In a chat with ARISE Television, a THISDAY Newspaper sister broadcast network, the Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Wallace Williams, disclosed that the Nigerian government has expressed readiness to act the role of a big brother in helping the country to ameliorate the devastating impacts of the hurricane on the people of the island.

Williams said the Prime Minister had mandated him to begin consultations and discussion with the federal government on how they can intervene and assist them.

According to him, the small country would need support in terms of providing health facilities by medical volunteers, technical support from engineers and construction personnel that would assist in rebuilding the island.

He also urged Nigerian and other investors to make good use of the situation by looking beyond the disaster and see the investment opportunities opened to them especially towards aiding and enhancing bilateral trades between the two countries.

The envoy added that the country and its citizens are confident that Nigeria would play a vital role in their rebuilding process as a way of reciprocating the support it gave it during the vote as a member of the United Nations Security Council.

He noted that in the next few days, he would be inundated with areas of priority where they would need urgent interventions.

His words: “We are shocked and devastated by the disaster and the Prime Minister has been actively mobilising rescue operations for the victims. He has also mandated me to begin discussion with the Federal Government of Nigeria whom we see as a big brother to assist us in rebuilding what we have lost in construction, communications, engineering and even providing volunteer doctors and medical personnel to assist us in this dire time of need.

“We supported Nigeria during her quest for a seat at the United Nations Security Council and we are optimistic that they would reciprocate our gesture by providing relief materials to us and in other forms.”

Hurricane Irma has caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean, reducing buildings to rubble and leaving at least nine people dead.

The small island of Barbuda is said to be “barely habitable.” Officials warn that St. Martin is almost destroyed, and the death toll is likely to rise.

Irma is a category five hurricane, the highest possible level.

It is currently north of the Dominican Republic, heading towards Turks and Caicos.

The low-lying Turks and Caicos islands, a British overseas territory, are said to be at risk of a storm surge, with the possibility of destructive waves up to 6m (20ft) higher than usual.

Virginia Clerveaux, director of the Turks and Caicos Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, told the BBC that even inland areas could be inundated.

“We are now trying to remind them [the people of the islands] that this is a category 5, and in the history of the Turks and Caicos islands this is the largest storm we have ever been impacted or threatened by.

“So there is a need to ensure that we have maximum preparations in place... We have been saying to persons to ensure that they are prepared, ensure they can shelter safely, they have sufficient food and drinking water for two to three days.”

Meanwhile, the head of the US emergency agency has said that Hurricane Irma will have a “truly devastating” impact when it hits southern coastal areas of the United States.

“The majority of people along the coast have never experienced a major hurricane like this,” Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief, Brock Long, told CNN.

The most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, Irma has sustained wind speeds of 285km/h (180mph).

Hurricane Irma first struck the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. At least one death, of a child, was reported on Barbuda, where Prime Minister Gaston Browne said about 95% of the buildings had suffered some damage.

“It’s absolute devastation,” he said after flying over the island, home to some 1,600 people. “The island is literally under water. In fact, I’m of the view that, as it stands now, Barbuda is barely habitable.”

He told the BBC that 50 per cent of the Barbuda population were now homeless and that it would cost $100m (£80m) to rebuild the island.

However, Antigua, with a population of 80,000, escaped major damage, with no loss of life, he said earlier.