Hurricane Irma: 'Major damage' as 185mph winds batter Caribbean islands

The most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever
recorded is causing havoc on several Caribbean
islands, with British territories braced for winds of up
to 185mph.
The eye of Hurricane Irma first roared over Barbuda
at 1.47am local time, also hitting the nearby island of
Antigua.
St Barts and St Martin were next to be hit, as low-
lying areas flooded, according to the French weather
office.
:: IRMA LIVE: Latest updates as Caribbean islands
hunker down
All government buildings on the French-run side of
the island of St Martin had been destroyed, according
to French interior minister Gerard Collomb.
"We know that the four most solid buildings on the
island have been destroyed which means that more
rustic structures have probably been completely or
partially destroyed," he told reporters.
French overseas territories minister Annick Girardin
said Irma had caused "major damage" on several
islands.
Here are the latest estimates of when tropical-
storm-force winds could arrive & are most
likely to arrive with #Irma hurricanes.gov
11:23 PM - Sep 5, 2017
61 1,639 976
NHC Atlantic Ops
@NHC_Atlantic
The hurricane has maintained category five strength
with sustained winds near 185mph (295kph), the US
National Hurricane Centre said.
According to some weather experts, the hurricane
covers an area bigger than the UK and Ireland.
The weather station on St Barts measured winds of
151mph (244kph) before its monitoring equipment
was destroyed by the storm.
"We are hunkered down and it is very windy... So far,
some roofs have been blown off," said Garfield
Burford from Antigua and Barbuda's ABS TV and
Radio.
Most people were without power and around 1,000
people on Antigua were spending the night in
shelters, Mr Burford said.
"It's very scary... most of the islands are dark, so it's
very, very frightening," he added.
The wind sent debris flying as people huddled in their
homes, many of which do not have concrete
foundations and only wooden roofs.
Category 5 #Irma with 185-mph winds-
#Hurricane preparations in the NE Leeward
Islands should be nearing completion
hurricanes.gov
7:23 PM - Sep 5, 2017
62 1,547 1,106
NHC Atlantic Ops
@NHC_Atlantic
Tourists in the area were evacuated on Tuesday
before the hurricane arrived.
British Airways sent an empty aircraft to the region,
bringing 326 customers back to the UK, and a Virgin
Atlantic flight left Antigua five hours early to avoid
the storm.
The Foreign Office said Britons should follow the
advice of authorities and heed evacuation orders.
Irma is currently heading through the Caribbean
towards Florida and may make landfall at the
weekend, but its precise path is uncertain.
The most dangerous winds are forecast to pass near
the northern Virgin Islands and near or just north of
Puerto Rico during the day on Wednesday.
St Martin was directly hit by the storm
Hurricane warnings are in place on several islands,
including the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla,
Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, the US and British
Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican
Republic.
President Trump has declared emergencies in Florida,
Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The US Virgin Islands are in the path of the
hurricane
If it hits Florida it will be the second powerful storm
to hit the US mainland in two weeks after Hurricane
Harvey caused devastation and led to the deaths of
60 people.
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis has also said
the government there will evacuate six southern
islands as authorities would not be able to help
people caught in "potentially catastrophic" conditions.

Tweet