Barbuda “Totally Demolished” After Hurricane Irma Levels 90% Of All Dwellings

Having mauled the Caribbean island of St. Martin overnight, where this morning the French government said that the four “most solid” buildings have been destroyed, Hurricane Irma – now at 185mps for a record 33 straight hours – has just passed north of Puerto Rico, buffeting the US island territory’s capital, San Juan, with heavy downpours and strong winds that scattered tree limbs across roadways, but not before “totally demolishing” the island of Barbuda, with 90% of all dwellings leveled, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.

Images show Irma damage in Barbuda; officials say destruction could be “upwards of 90%” https://t.co/5WpCIuCk4d https://t.co/GBjTj9ZeXz

— CNN (@CNN) September 6, 2017

Browne said that Irma has unleashed “absolute devastation” on the island making Barbuda, home to some 1,800 people, “basically uninhabitable” with preliminary damage estimated at some $150 million.

Antigua & Barbuda’s Prime Minister: “The way it stands now, #Barbuda is basically uninhabitable.”

Photos: ABS Television/Radio. pic.twitter.com/SxJDknTvy3

— TTWeatherCenter (@TTWeatherCenter) September 6, 2017

First images out of Barbuda from a Facebook broadcast live by ABS Radio & TV.

Widespread destruction has occurred on the island. pic.twitter.com/0MGShjxuU8

— TTWeatherCenter (@TTWeatherCenter) September 6, 2017

He said that the island’s communication network is 100% destroyed.

Antigua & Barbuda’s PM Browne: “#Barbuda‘s communication network is 100% destroyed”

Photo: ABS Television/Radio pic.twitter.com/FXlYRaP08t

— TTWeatherCenter (@TTWeatherCenter) September 6, 2017

Unbelievable. #Irma has snapped all the cell towers on #Barbuda. That’s reinforced steel – photo: ABS pic.twitter.com/NF5v698XJa

— Jonny Hallam (@Jonny_Hallam) September 6, 2017

A before and after photo confirms the devastation:

Jost Van Dyke #BVI

Before and after #Irma pic.twitter.com/HExX6TFhb9

— John Morales (@JohnMoralesNBC6) September 6, 2017

“This rebuilding initiative will take years,” Browne told local television after a visit to the island, where he confirmed at least one person had died due to the storm. A second storm-related fatality, that of a surfer, was reported on Barbados and the French government said at least two people were killed in Caribbean island territories of St. Martin and Saint Barthelemy.

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