Death and destruction: Irma’s impact on Caribbean islands

Barbuda

A two-year-old reportedly died with fears that death toll will rise. Two British women reported missing by their mother. Ninety-five per cent of buildings damaged, with 60 per cent of the 1,400 residents left homeless and airport destroyed. Gaston Browne, its prime minister, called the damage “heartbreaking and devastating”.

St Martin

Four people confirmed dead with local interior minister saying the number could rise. Three emergency teams being sent to the island, where the 90,000 residents are split between Dutch and French territories. Harbour and airport open again but roads have been destroyed. French president Emmanuel Macron said that the impact was “hard and cruel”.

St Barthelemy

Reports of injuries but no fatalities. Fire station flooded, and a total power blackout on the French island territory, home to 9,000 people. Famous Eden Rock hotel, owned by the parents of James Matthews, Pippa Middleton’s husband, left in tatters.

Anguilla

One death and widespread damage on the British territory. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, said the UK is “taking swift action to respond” to the disaster.

Virgin Islands

Fire and police stations collapsed and the main hospital in St Thomas sustained heavy damage. Kenneth Mapp, US Virgin Islands governor, said the islands were getting badly needed federal help.

Puerto Rico

Three people dead, including a woman electrocuted in her home and a man in a traffic accident, plus 198 injuries from fallen trees and 500 pets abandoned. More than one million have no electricity and 200,000 without water. Over half its hospitals are not operational.

Dominican Republic

Wind and rain caused minor damage to beachfront properties and hotels. “We expected much worse,” Lindsay Sauvage told the New York Times.

Where is it headed to next?

Hurricane Irma is expected to pass near Haiti, towards the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Cuba. It is expected to hit Florida on Saturday morning, with governor Rick Perry saying “this is not a storm you can sit and wait through.”