The worst Atlantic storm in history, Irma wreaks havoc across the Caribbean
With winds of 185mph, Hurricane Irma unleashed destruction in the Caribbean yesterday. A state of emergency was declared in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands as well as in Florida, where evacuations were planned.
TERRIFIED British holidaymakers trapped in the path of Hurricane Irma yesterday described the “apocalyptic” battering it has delivered to the Caribbean islands.
As the storm with sustained winds of 185mph looked set to bear down on Florida, a British warship, the RFA Mounts Bay, was on standby to help UK overseas territories.
The Foreign Office urged British tourists to obey evacuation orders as Donald Trump, the US president, declared emergencies in Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Sir Richard Branson vowed to ride out the hurricane on Necker, his private island, where he planned to hide in a concrete wine cellar.
He said: “Knowing our wonderful team as I do, I suspect there will be little wine left in the cellar when we all emerge. The strength of this hurricane is unheard of. Everyone is willing the eye of the storm to veer away from the British Virgin Islands.”
The Virgin boss and his staff slept in bunk beds and played dice to pass the time, all holidaying guests having left.
Sir Richard said: “I haven’t had a sleepover quite like it since I was a kid.” As the hurricane crashed into the tiny island of St Martin, British tourist Alex Woolfall was forced to shelter in a concrete stairwell.
He said on Twitter: “Building shaking and howling winds. Noise of wind insane. Pray this will end soon! I am now pretty terrified so can every nonbeliever, atheist and heretic please pray for me? My God this noise! It’s like standing behind a jet engine! Constant booms and bangs.”
Later, he added: “Noise now apocalyptic. This is like a movie I never want to see. Thunderous sonic boom noises. Can feel scream of things being hurled against building.”
The French Interior Ministry said government buildings on the island, among the most sturdy built there, had been destroyed.
Victoria Adams, 23, an account executive from London, who was in the Turks and Caicos Islands, said: “I don’t know what to do if I have to stay, beyond stay on high ground and barricade the windows. My only option now is to go to the airport when it opens and pray a seat on any flight opens up.”
Thousands of tourists had holiday plans upended as airlines had to ground or divert flights. British Airways sent a plane to collect 326 passengers from Puerto Rico on Tuesday.
A spokesman said: “We are making sure our customers are well looked after in their hotels and are constantly monitoring the situation and liaising with the airport authorities.”
Virgin Atlantic cancelled a flight to Antigua and Thomas Cook postponed two flights to the affected area. Priti Patel, the International Development Secretary, said the RFA Mounts Bay, which was diverted from drug patrols, had on board 40 Royal Marines, Army Engineers and vehicles, tents and facilities to purify water. She said: “The
‘There will be little wine left in the cellar when we all emerge’
thoughts of the British people are with all those affected by Hurricane Irma and Britain has already taken swift action to respond.”
Rick Scott, the Governor of Florida, warned Irma was “bigger, faster and stronger” than Hurricane Andrew, which pounded the state 25 years ago.
He said anyone intending to evacuate should “get out now.” Mr Trump said: “It looks like it will be something that is not good, believe me, not good.”
He added on Twitter: “Hurricane looks like largest ever recorded in the Atlantic! Watching Hurricane closely.”
So far three deaths have been reported, one in Barbuda and two on the islands of Saint-barthelemy – popularly known as St. Bart’s – and Saint-martin.
Barbuda has been reduced to rubble with 90 per cent of buildings destroyed. Gaston Browne, the prime minister, said the island was “barely habitable”.
Images later emerged showing severe damage to Princess Juliana International Airport on St Martin, including rocks hitting planes and flooding in the check-in area.
Six islands of the Bahamas were being evacuated amid fears of “potentially catastrophic” wind and flooding. Hubert Minnis, the islands’ prime minister, said: “The price you may pay for not evacuating is your life or serious physical harm.”
The eye of the storm was expected to pass close to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba before hitting Florida. Hurricane Irma is the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history. As it approached Puerto Rico, Mr Trump spoke to Ricardo Rossello, the governor, by phone. Mr Rossello said some areas could be left without power for months.
Mandatory evacuations were under way in the Florida Keys. American Airlines said it would wind down services at Miami airport, and South Carolina also declared a state of emergency.
James Fairs, a Briton living in St Kitts, said it was “pretty scary”. He told the BBC: “At one point we could see what we thought was lightning through the curtains, but when we looked out we could see live electricity cables dancing around in the dark.”
Mas Rezai, from London, on holiday in the Dominican Republic, said: “We want to go home but British Airways say they do not have flights available. Now we are hearing the airport is closed too. We just want to go home as soon as possible.”