Hurricane Irma Hits St Martin: Pictures And Videos Show Devastation

Hurricane Irma slammed into the Caribbean island of St. Martin Wednesday, bringing with it catastrophic winds and devastating rainfall. Photos and videos out of the area show the damage wrought by winds of up to 185 mph.

Videos from the island showed barely any visibility as the walls of the hurricane passed over it Wednesday morning. The ravaged St. Martin airport was barely recognizable amid wreckage. Other photos showed debris, boats and cars submerged in feet of water.

Reporting on the damage to the island, French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said the island’s sturdiest buildings, the government facilities, had been decimated.

“We know that the four most solid buildings on the island have been destroyed,” he said. “Which means that more rustic structures have probably been completely or partially destroyed.”

Reports out of St. Martin detailed catastrophic flooding and widespread blackouts. French minister for overseas territories Annick Girardin expressed fear that many did not yield the orders to take shelter before the storm.

“A certain number of our compatriots … unfortunately didn’t want to listen to the protection measures and go to more secure sites,” said Girardin, according to the Telegraph. “We’re preparing for the worst.”

Irma’s winds made it the strongest hurricane in the Atlantic outside of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico in recorded history, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It remained unclear exactly where Irma was headed in the coming hours and days. The storm was expected to head toward Puerto Rico Wednesday afternoon, where it would likely bring “life threatening wind, storm surges and rainfall,” the National Weather Service said. The eyewall, the strongest portion of the storm, was likely going to hit just north of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital city.

In the mainland United States, preparations were being made in Florida in the event the hurricane made landfall. Florida was in a state of emergency while portions of the Keys were under mandatory evacuation orders.

“In Florida, we already prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” said Florida Gov. Rick Scott. “While the exact path of Irma is not absolutely known at this time, we cannot afford to not be prepared.”