HURRICANE Maria has “reintensified” into a category five storm as it sweeps towards British overseas territories already battered by Irma.
The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said the hurricane had regained strength, with sustained winds of up to 160mph, as it approaches the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
Maria had briefly been downgraded to a category four storm after making landfall in Dominica on Monday, but US Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft reported it had returned to the highest hurricane category, meaning it could cause “catastrophic damage”.
Emergency steps are being undertaken on the BVI to prepare for the looming onslaught, although an official co-ordinating the operation has warned the islands had been “weakened” by Irma and the situation “doesn’t look good”.
Relief workers are racing to secure debris left strewn across the islands that have the potential to make the coming hurricane “more hazardous” if they are picked up by high winds.
Another British overseas territory, Montserrat, has been issued with a hurricane warning amid fears Maria could bring a devastating storm surge, while torrential rain could trigger deadly flash floods.
UK International Development Secretary Priti Patel said the Government is under no illusion about the possible impact of the strengthening hurricane and said they were taking steps to prepare communities.
The Foreign Office is advising against all travel to the BVI, warning residents to identify shelter “immediately” and be ready to take cover when the hurricane approaches, as well as all but essential travel to Montserrat.
Following a similar path to Irma, Maria was expected to reach the British Virgin Islands last night and into today.
Brigadier John Ridge, the second in command of the UK’s Joint Task Force, said whichever direction the hurricane went, “it is bad”.
“They are either going to get the wind, which will pick up all the debris that is lying around,” he said.
“And also, irritatingly, where they have made progress in getting covers over the houses and power lines up, it will potentially damage that again.
“Or they get a huge amount of rain, which is also bad because of the blockages in the drainage channels – so the potential for some quite serious flooding as well. Whatever happens, it doesn’t look good, sadly.”
Meanwhile the NHC has issued a hurricane watch, meaning hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the area, for the island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory badly affected by Hurricane Irma.
Patel said British troops, police and aid experts are “working relentlessly” to help the victims of Irma, and that they are now being tasked with also preparing for the impact of Maria.
“We are under no illusions about the possible impact of Hurricane Maria and are taking every measure possible to prepare communities which have already been devastated by Hurricane Irma,” she said.
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