Hurricane Irma has hit the upper wind islands. The eye of the hurricane of the heaviest category came to lie above St. Maarten early in the afternoon. Also Saba and Saint Eustatius are affected.
The extent of the damage is still unclear. Because the power has failed, there is virtually no communication possible. For example, there is no information about potential victims. Minister Plasterk himself has no idea of the extent of the disaster.
Water and debris
On images it can be seen that there is a lot of damage to Sint Maarten. Streets are littered with debris, cars are underwater and boats in ports are destroyed.
The airport of Saint Maarten is also affected by Irma. Both in the terminal and outside the gates there is a lot of damage. It is still unclear when the airport can be opened again.
Irma rages over the Caribbean islands with wind threats that rise to well over 300 kilometers per hour, a very exceptional speed.
The hurricane went to land on the island of Barbuda, east of St. Maarten at 6.30 pm Dutch time. The storm would have kept it huge. There has been no contact with the island for hours and, according to an American source, the island with 1700 inhabitants was "cleaned up". The Government of Antigua and Barbuda nevertheless assumes there are no victims.
The French Minister for the Interior has said that there are also considerable damage to various French islands in the Caribbean. On Saint Martin, the French part of Saint Maarten, he said the four strongest buildings were destroyed. Also the government building would have been destroyed in part. The Minister for Overseas Territories, Annick Girardin, is leaving the area today.
Before Irma landed, lots of rain fell over St. Maarten. Also, seawater flowed up the island and set streets blank, including in Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch part.
Other French islands affected by Irma are Saint-Barthélémy and the Greater Guadeloupe. In Saint-Barthélémy, the power has fallen as in St. Maarten. The emergency services could not stand out because their garages are under water.
Hurricane pulls further
Irma draws further towards Puerto Rico in the coming hours, then shifts along the north side of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba towards Florida. The latest expectation of the Hurricane Center in the United States is very unfavorable to that state. According to recent models, Florida is getting drunk, though the hurricane is likely to be attenuated by that time.
The Dutch side of St Maarten is an official Dutch municipality and Dutch soil.
Latest update:
Communications and contact have been few and difficult to the disaster area - Dutch Minister
No clear view on damage, deaths or injured at the moment - Dutch minister
most powerfull hurricane hitting the area ever - Dutch minister
> Hurricane Irma has hit the upper wind islands. The eye of the hurricane of the heaviest category came to lie above St. Maarten early in the afternoon. Also Saba and Saint Eustatius are affected.
>
> The extent of the damage is still unclear. Because the power has failed, there is virtually no communication possible. For example, there is no information about potential victims. Minister Plasterk himself has no idea of the extent of the disaster.
> Water and debris
>
> On images it can be seen that there is a lot of damage to Sint Maarten. Streets are littered with debris, cars are underwater and boats in ports are destroyed.
>
> The airport of Saint Maarten is also affected by Irma. Both in the terminal and outside the gates there is a lot of damage. It is still unclear when the airport can be opened again.
>
> Irma rages over the Caribbean islands with wind threats that rise to well over 300 kilometers per hour, a very exceptional speed.
>
> The hurricane went to land on the island of Barbuda, east of St. Maarten at 6.30 pm Dutch time. The storm would have kept it huge. There has been no contact with the island for hours and, according to an American source, the island with 1700 inhabitants was "cleaned up". The Government of Antigua and Barbuda nevertheless assumes there are no victims.
>
> The French Minister for the Interior has said that there are also considerable damage to various French islands in the Caribbean. On Saint Martin, the French part of Saint Maarten, he said the four strongest buildings were destroyed. Also the government building would have been destroyed in part. The Minister for Overseas Territories, Annick Girardin, is leaving the area today.
>
> Before Irma landed, lots of rain fell over St. Maarten. Also, seawater flowed up the island and set streets blank, including in Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch part.
>
> Other French islands affected by Irma are Saint-Barthélémy and the Greater Guadeloupe. In Saint-Barthélémy, the power has fallen as in St. Maarten. The emergency services could not stand out because their garages are under water.
> Hurricane pulls further
>
> Irma draws further towards Puerto Rico in the coming hours, then shifts along the north side of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba towards Florida. The latest expectation of the Hurricane Center in the United States is very unfavorable to that state. According to recent models, Florida is getting drunk, though the hurricane is likely to be attenuated by that time.
The Dutch side of [St Maarten](https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Sint+Maarten/@18.0699417,-63.0974989,12.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x8c0e6e62d6f890c3:0x728b2cc226338f42!8m2!3d18.04248!4d-63.05483) is an official Dutch municipality and Dutch soil.
Latest update:
- Communications and contact have been few and difficult to the disaster area - Dutch Minister
- No clear view on damage, deaths or injured at the moment - Dutch minister
- most powerfull hurricane hitting the area ever - Dutch minister
Link to live update from NOS in Dutch: https://nos.nl/liveblog/2191650-orkaan-irma-raast-door-caribisch-gebied-ravage-enorm.html
The Dutch side of St Maarten is an official Dutch municipality and Dutch soil.
Latest update:
Communications and contact have been few and difficult to the disaster area - Dutch Minister
No clear view on damage, deaths or injured at the moment - Dutch minister
most powerfull hurricane hitting the area ever - Dutch minister
Link to live update from NOS in Dutch: https://nos.nl/liveblog/2191650-orkaan-irma-raast-door-caribisch-gebied-ravage-enorm.html