DANGER ZONE:
Hurricane Irma strengthens to a Category Five storm as it approaches Puerto Rico in the eastern Caribbean as seen from the GOES-16 satellite. Irma is generating winds in excess of 180mph, making it the strongest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.
HEAVY RAIN and 185mph winds lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico’s north-east coast last night as Hurricane Irma roared through Caribbean islands on its way to a possible hit on South Florida.
The strongest Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever measured destroyed homes and flooded streets across a chain of small islands in the northern Caribbean, passing directly over Barbuda and leaving the island of some 1,700 people incommunicado.
France sent emergency food and water rations to the French islands of Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, where Irma ripped off roofs and knocked out all electricity.
Dutch marines who flew to three Dutch islands hammered by Irma reported extensive damage but no deaths or injuries.
While France received no immediate reports of casualties, the minister for French overseas territories, Annick Girardin, said: “We have a lot to fear for a certain number of our compatriots who unfortunately didn’t want to listen to the protection measures and go to more secure sites... We’re preparing for the worst.”
By yesterday afternoon the centre of the storm was 20 miles (35 kilometres) east-south-east of St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and 90 miles (150 kilometres) east of San Juan, Puerto Rico and heading west-north-west at 16 mph (26 kph).
The US National Weather Service said Puerto Rico had not seen a hurricane of Irma’s magnitude since Hurricane San Felipe in 1928, which killed a total of 2,748 people in Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and Florida.
“The dangerousness of this event is like nothing we’ve ever seen,” Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello said.
“A lot of infrastructure won’t be able to withstand this kind of force.”
Puerto Rico’s public power company has cut back on staff and maintenance amid a deep economic crisis and the agency’s director warned that some areas could be without power from four to six months because the infrastructure has already deteriorated so badly.
By early Sunday, Irma is expected to hit Florida, where Governor Rick Scott said he planned to activate 7,000 National Guard members by tomorrow and warned that Irma is “bigger, faster and stronger” than Hurricane Andrew.
Andrew pummelled south Florida 25 years ago and wiped out entire neighbourhoods with ferocious winds.
US President Donald Trump also declared an emergency in Florida and authorities in the Bahamas said they would evacuate six southern islands.
National Weather Service director Louis Uccellini said he was concerned about Florida up the east coast to North Carolina, starting with the Florida Keys.
Meanwhile, Sir Richard Branson has described the atmosphere in the British Virgin Islands as “eerie but beautiful” as locals wait for the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane to hit.
The billionaire businessman is camped out on Necker, his private island, with his staff as Hurricane Irma nears. Writing on his blog, he said: “We have just experienced a night of howling wind and rain as Hurricane Irma edges ever closer.”
A lot of infrastructure won’t be able to withstand the force. Ricardo Rossello, Puerto Rico Governor.