185mph winds and gusts of 200mph
Sir Richard Branson, 67 will be staying on Necker Island, despite hurricane Irma being the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane ever to hit landfall in the Caribbean.
Sir Richard said: “It may sound strange, but I consider hurricanes one of the wonders of the natural world. Two powerful hurricanes, Earl and Otto, hit the BVI in 2010 and caused extensive damage.
Update from Necker Island before Hurricane #Irma arrives https://t.co/tF84SPx7aBpic.twitter.com/O1coFNqYd8
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 6, 2017
“I beheld nature at its most ferocious. The power of the sea breaking over the cliff tops, the eerie hush when you are in the eye of the hurricane and then the roar of the winds, the lightning and the rain.”
The National Weather Service said that eye of hurricane Irma hit Barbuda at 1:47am and the US National Hurricane Centre said that winds are nearing 185mph and it is maintaining a category five in strength.
Category 5 #Irma with 185-mph winds- #Hurricanepreparations in the NE Leeward Islands should be nearing completion https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFbpic.twitter.com/tMhL53YX5I
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) September 5, 2017
The director of news at ABS TV, Garfield Burford said: “We are hunkered down and it is very windy… the wind is a major threat.
“So far, some roofs have been blown off.”
He added: “It’s very scary … most of the islands are dark so it’s very, very frightening.”
The French weather office has said that the storm is now making its way to the Islands of St. Barts and St. Martin, low-lying areas will suffer severe flooding.
Necker buildings handle extreme weather pretty well, but with a Category 5 hurricane… https://t.co/JxlBC3GRW5#Irmapic.twitter.com/JLk7urlqT6
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 5, 2017
Sir Richard wrote in a blog on the Virgin website that he had built “really strong buildings to handle extreme weather pretty well, including hurrican blinds.”
However, as Hurricane Irma is the most powerful hurricane ever to hit landfall he said that “almost nothing can withstand it.”
From #Harvey to #Irma, I think man-made climate change is a key factor in the intensity of hurricanes https://t.co/JxlBC3GRW5 pic.twitter.com/2oAsUGEB3i
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 5, 2017
“Fortunately, most of them [hurricane’s] drift north of us, but this one is coming straight for us, with the eye of the storm heading straight for Necker, Moskito Island and Virgin Gorda.”
Just experienced a night of howling wind and rain as Hurricane #Irma edges ever closer – everyone calm & upbeat https://t.co/tF84SPx7aB pic.twitter.com/lbM0bdHxCv
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 6, 2017
Sir Richards main concern is with the locals and the wildlife across the British Virgin Islands.
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