RTX3F44A
View of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Sint Maarten Dutch part of Saint Martin island in the Caribbean. Handout/REUTERS

Hurricane Irma is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever, and it slammed into the Caribbean Island of St. Martin/St. Maarten. The Category 5 storm whipped across the island with winds of 185 miles per hour.

The island is split in half between the north, which is a French collectivity (territory), and the south which is a part of the Netherlands.

The storm killed at least 10 people, according to ABC News Thursday: at least eight were killed in St. Martin and St. Bart, one in Barbuda and one in Antigua.

French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, said that death toll could rise.

“We did not have the time yet to explore all the shores,” Collomb told Franceinfo radio, adding that 23 people were also injured.

The Dutch Royal Navy reported “enormous damage” to their side of the island. Princess Juliana International Airport, the famous airport on the island with runways close to the beach is completely destroyed.

Irma also wreaked havoc on the Caribbean Island of Barbuda. On Barbuda, 95 percent of the buildings were damaged, leaving the island essentially inhabitable, according to Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda.

“I have to admit that I am now the bearer of bad news, in that I journeyed to Barbuda this afternoon and what I saw was heart-wrenching. I mean, absolutely devastating,” Browne said in an address on Wednesday. “In fact, I believe that on a per capita basis the extent of the destruction in Barbuda is unprecedented.”

Irma brushed against Puerto Rico Wednesday night and next heads towards the Bahamas and Florida, with an anticipated U.S. mainland land fall this weekend. Florida is bracing for the impact of the storm with mandatory evacuations issued for the southernmost parts of Florida. President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida.

The U.S. Coast Guard is already assisting in the region.

“Our first priority is ensuring safety of lives and helping anyone in distress. Following that, reopening the ports is a top priority, but we have to make sure we also do it safely,” said Capt. Eric King, commander of the Coast Guard based in Puerto Rico in a statement. “Opening the port prematurely could create a situation for a greater risk or incident, which could ultimately result in an even longer port closure. We must ensure the port is clear of any obstructions and any significant damage to the port infrastructure from the storm that would prevent the flow of commercial commerce.”

GettyImages-843749400
A photo taken on September 6, 2017 shows broken palm trees on the beach of the Hotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma. France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place. Lionel Chamosieau/AFP/GETTY
GettyImages-843750290
A photo taken on September 7, 2017 shows ships wrecked ashore, in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma. France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place. Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP/GETTY
GettyImages-843743578
A panoramic photo taken on September 6, 2017 shows the damaged Hotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma. France, the Netherlands and Britain on September 7 sent water, emergency rations and rescue teams to their stricken territories in the Caribbean hit by Hurricane Irma, which has killed at least 10 people. The worst-affected island so far is Saint Martin, which is divided between the Netherlands and France, where eight of the 10 confirmed deaths took place. Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP/GETTY
RTX3F44A
View of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Sint Maarten Dutch part of Saint Martin island in the Caribbean. Handout/REUTERS
RELATED STORIES
Puerto rico Hurricane Harvey Florida