Hurricane Irma in Caribbean

Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, ploughed through the Caribbean on 6 and 7 September 2017. The devastating storm left at least 44 dead and thousands of people were made homeless.

Hurricane Irma originated from a tropical storm which developed on 30 August 2017, and quickly developed into a full Category 5 storm. Category 5 is the highest grade on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and indicates a storm that could cause catastrophic damage.

When Irma passed over the Caribbean Isles it came with winds in excess of 250 km/h and brought heavy rain. The strong winds demolished many homes and inundated others. Estimates suggest 95% of the buildings on Barbuda and Saint Martin were destroyed or suffered damage, and 42% of the buildings on Anguilla were damaged. They were not the only islands affected by the disaster, though, and Irma also affected Saint Barthélemy, the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Residents of the islands have reported scenes of devastation, and it is feared it may take years for some of the nations to recover.

Rescue and recovery operations were delayed due to the hazards posed by the storm and extensive damage to transportation networks. International aid has been provided to the affected nations, but concerns for the provision of clean water, food and power remain for many residents.