We had no sooner taken stock of the extraordinary damage wrought by Hurricane Harvey in Texas than another uniquely fierce and record-breaking hurricane began heading straight toward the Caribbean and the southeast US.
We’ve been tracking the damage from Hurricane Irma since Thursday, and the images coming out of region reveal that the storm’s impact on several Caribbean islands — including St. Martin/St. Maarten, Barbuda, Anguilla, the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and parts of Cuba — was severe. "I think it's going to take a long time for Barbuda to get back on its foot,” one Barbudan who evacuated to Antigua told CNN. “Everything is completely destroyed."
More than 36 people in the region have been reported dead from the storm, and emergency responders are expecting the recovery to take years. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited St. Martin as part of a trip to offer support and relief supplies to French territories in the Caribbean impacted by the storm. The US Coast Guard and various humanitarian groups are also on the ground in the response effort. But food and water shortages were being reported in many of the affected islands on Wednesday.
Irma’s winds, which peaked at 185 mph, tore through human settlements and toppled trees, while its rain and storm surge have flooded homes and streets. Here are some of the most telling images from the ground we’ve seen so far from Irma’s path.
September 12
Cuba
Sven Creutzmann/Mambo photo/Getty ImagesHavanaYander Zamora/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesCiego de Ávila ProvinceSven Creutzmann/Mambo photo/Getty ImagesCuban students help clean the house of an elderly woman in Havana.Sven Creutzmann/Mambo photo/Getty ImagesWorkers try to repair the electricity and telephone service in Havana.Yander Zamora/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesCiego de Ávila Province
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesA boy stands beside a makeshift message board. Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesCruz BayJessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesCruz BayCaribbean Buzz Helicopters via APCruz BayCaribbean Buzz Helicopters via APCruz Bay
Saint Martin
Christophe Ena/AFP/Getty ImagesSaint MartinChristophe Ena/AFP/Getty ImagesFrance's President Emmanuel Macron greets residents of Saint Martin.Saint MartinJose Jimenez/Getty ImagesPresident Macron speaks to a young girl from Grande Case.Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesGeminga shipyard of MarigotAurelien Morissard/IP3/Getty ImagesCivilians evacuating Saint Martin the day of President Macron’s visit.
September 11
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Cpl Darren Legg RLC/Ministry of Defense Crown via APProvidenciales
Cuba
Ramon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaRamon Espinosa/APIsabela de SaguaErnesto Mastrascusa/Getty ImagesHavanaErnesto Mastrascusa/Getty ImagesHavanaErnesto Mastrascusa/Getty ImagesHavanaErnesto Mastrascusa/Getty ImagesHavanaErnesto Mastrascusa/Getty ImagesHavana
Saint Martin
Carlos Giusti/APCold Bay communityCarlos Giusti/APDelaney Kertzious carries clothes she salvaged from her house in the Cold Bay community.Carlos Giusti/APPhillipsburgCarlos Giusti/APCold Bay communityCarlos Giusti/APU.S. citizens wait in line to evacuate Phillipsburg.Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesGrand Case BayMartin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesGrand Case BayMartin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images)Grand Case BayMartin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesGrand Case BayMartin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesGrand Case BayVincent Jannink/AFP/Getty ImagesDutch king Willem-Alexander (second from right) and Minister of Internal Affairs Ronald Plasterk (second from left) visit Filipsburg, Saint Martin.
Caribbean Buzz Helicopters via APLeverick BayCaribbean Buzz Helicopters via APLeverick BayCaribbean Buzz Helicopters via APGun Creek
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Jalon Manson Shortte via AP
Jalon Manson Shortte via AP
Jalon Manson Shortte via AP
Jalon Manson Shortte via AP
Saint Martin
Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesMargot Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesFort Louis Marina, MarigotMartin Bureau/AFP/Getty ImagesFort Louis Marina, Marigot
Anguilla
Royal Navy/Ministry of Defense via APBritish Royal Navy arrives on Sandy Bay village.Royal Navy/Ministry of Defense via APRoyal Navy/Ministry of Defense via APRoyal Logistics Corps conducts reconnaissance of hurricane damage.
Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of NettleLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of NettleLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of Nettle
September 6
Saint Martin
Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of NettleLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of NettleLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of NettleLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesMarigot, near the Bay of Nettle
Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry via AP
Gerben Van Es/AFP/Getty ImagesPhilipsburgGerben Van Es/AFP/Getty ImagesPhilipsburgGerben Van Es/AFP/Getty ImagesPhilipsburgGerben Van Es/AFP/Getty ImagesPhilipsburgLionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty ImagesHotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle
Puerto Rico
Jose Jimenez/Getty ImagesLuquillo BeachCarlos Giusti/APFajardoCarlos Giusti/APFajardoRicardo Arduengo/AFP/Getty ImagesFajardo