Britain pledges £32m for Hurricane Irma aftermath

BRITAIN has bolstered the funds available for tackling the aftermath of Hurricane Irma as it continues to lay waste to the Caribbean.
Massive destruction to a resort on the Dutch island of St Maarten in the wake of a direct hit by Hurricane Irma.  PIC: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix via ZUMA Wire/REX/ShutterstockMassive destruction to a resort on the Dutch island of St Maarten in the wake of a direct hit by Hurricane Irma.  PIC: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix via ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock
Massive destruction to a resort on the Dutch island of St Maarten in the wake of a direct hit by Hurricane Irma. PIC: Gerben Van Es/Planet Pix via ZUMA Wire/REX/Shutterstock

Theresa May announced £32m has now been released to assist the relief effort, up from £12m, after devastation was unleashed on British overseas territories. The military has parachuted a group of experts into the affected areas of the Atlantic to provide support while the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Mounts Bay ship is transporting supplies.

At least six people are known to have died on the island of Barbuda, which has been left “barely habitable” after the category-five storm flattened swathes of the Caribbean.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking after a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee, the Prime Minister said: “No-one can fail to be affected by the absolutely desperate plight of people in the Caribbean who have been hit by Hurricane Irma and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected, particularly with British nationals in the overseas territories of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands.”

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said four were confirmed dead and 50 injured on the island of St Martin. One death was also feared on the nearby island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory that was among the first islands to be hit.