US, European countries ramp up relief aid to Caribbean after deadly Hurricane Irma

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Members of the French navy load reconstruction and assistance equipment on the BPC Tonnerre, at the naval base in Toulon on September 11, 2017, on the eve of its departure to the French Caribbean islands to reinforce the rescue after the passage of Hurricane Irma. Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States have ramped up relief efforts for their territories in the Caribbean. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:26am, 12 Sep 2017Updated: 3:26am, 12 Sep 2017

Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States have ramped up relief efforts for their territories in the Caribbean after the passage of Hurricane Irma last week left devastation in its wake.

There has been some criticism of the response, particularly in British overseas territories.

Britain has pledged £32 million (35 million euros, US$42 million) in assistance and sent 10 flights of aid since Friday to its affected Caribbean territories, the British Virgin Islands and the Anguilla archipelago, where six people were killed in the storm.

The flights have carried medical supplies, emergency shelter kits, rations and clean water to affected islands, as well as engineers and military personnel.

People evacuated from the French Caribbean island of Saint-Martin that was hit by Hurricane Irma react as they walk after landing at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport on September 11, 2017. Almost 300 people were expected to arrive from Pointe-a-Pitre on the island of Guadeloupe aboard a military aircraft after their evacuation. Photo: AFP

Almost 700 British troops have been deployed and 17 officers from London’s Metropolitan Police have also been sent following reports of looting.

The RFA Mounts Bay, a Royal Navy ship which was in the region when the megastorm hit, has been deployed. A second warship, HMS Ocean, is being loaded with disaster relief supplies in Gibraltar before it sets off for the region as expected on Tuesday.