'Massive destruction' after hurricane Irma sweeps French islands - French Interior Minister

Record ID: 909473

  • Title: 'Massive destruction' after hurricane Irma sweeps French islands - French Interior Minister
  • Date: 7th September 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (SEPTEMBER 7, 2017) (REUTERS) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER GERARD COLLOMB ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMAN FILMING COLLOMB DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "There is massive destruction. We'll concentrate our first efforts so that in the next hours people can have access to food, drinking water. We are sending water barges so as to provide the two islands (Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy) with drinking water." VARIOUS OF NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "Seeing the strength of the winds yesterday, we can say that if the toll doesn't get worse, it's not as bad as we thought. But we have however eight deaths, injured people, so obviously it is a great tragedy for the island (Saint Martin). People have lost everything, so we will have to rebuild in the coming future." PHOTOGRAPHER WORKING REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH INTERIOR MINISTER GERARD COLLOMB, SAYING: "We are getting the infrastructure back into working order. Luckily, the French airport in the north hasn't been hit too badly, so we will be able to land firstly, helicopters and then aircraft. On the other hand, the Dutch airport seems more damaged." COLLOMB LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2017 09:53
  • Keywords: Irma hurricane tropical storm cyclone Saint Martin Saint Barthelemy
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wind/Hurricane/Typhoons/Tornadoes
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016XLIQMF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: France's interior minister Gerard Collomb said on Thursday (September 7) there had been "massive destruction" on the French island of Saint Martin after hurricane Irma swept through the Caribbean.
    Hurricane Irma killed eight people on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin and left Barbuda devastated on Thursday as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in a century took aim at Florida.
    Collomb said they had expected more casualties, seeing the strength of the winds.
    He said French rescue services would provide vital aid to the population.
    He added that the French airport situated in the north of the island was not badly damaged from the storm, unlike the other airport situated in the Dutch side of Saint Martin. The Dutch Royal Army said there was "enormous damage".
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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