Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Breaking Island News

Caribbean: Richard Branson Refuses to Leave Necker Island as Hurricane Irma Approaches

 

As one of the most powerful hurricanes on record leaves a trail of destruction throughout the Caribbean, Sir Richard Branson has announced that he refuses to leave his private island home. 

  • An “extremely dangerous” Category 5 storm is tearing its way across the Caribbean, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its path
  • After already battering Barbuda and Antigua, Hurricane Irma is predicted to move on to the Leeward Islands and the Virgin Islands, before eventually making land in Florida
  • Many private islands are expected to be affected, including Necker Island in the BVIs. Despite severe weather warnings, however, the island’s owner Richard Branson refuses to leave

(Necker Island – Image Courtesy of Vladi Private Islands)

Hurricane Irma Causes Chaos in the Caribbean

One of the worst storms on records is tearing its way through the Caribbean, leaving a trail of death and destruction in its path. Having already reached the maximum Category 5, Hurricane Irma looks set to have catastrophic consequences for many of the Caribbean’s small island communities.

The eye of the storm is currently located close to Barbuda and Antigua, but is moving rapidly in a north-westerly direction. Anguilla and St Kitts & Nevis are the next islands in Irma’s path, with the likes of the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Puerto Rico predicted to follow.

As citizens rush to protect life and property, more bad news is on the way, with another two potentially deadly weather fronts (Hurricanes Jose and Keita) forming off the coast of Mexico as we write.

Evacuations Begin as Private Islands Fear the Worse

With the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) now reporting that Hurricane Irma has already become the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean, drastic steps are being taken to secure safety of residents and holiday-goers right across the Caribbean region.

The region’s many private islands, too, look certain to be affected by Irma’s onslaught. Speaking from Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson reported that some of his guests have already evacuated the island, with others choosing to postpone their upcoming vacation due to safety reasons.

As things stand, the British Virgin Islands – which count the likes of Necker, Moskito, Eustatia and Guana Island amongst their six star luxury escape – look certain to bear the brunt of the storm.

Branson Battens Down the Hatchet and Refuses to Leave

Despite such severe weather warnings, however, Sir Richard Branson himself has announced that he has no plans to evacuate the island, preferring to stay put and ride out the storm from the comfort of his luxurious lodge.

Quoted in The Daily Mail, the Virgin-impresario announced explained that “on Necker Island, we have constructed really strong buildings with hurricane blinds that should be able to handle extreme weather pretty well. Almost nothing can withstand a Category 5 storm though.”

“I will be on Necker alongside our team, as I have been on the three times we’ve had hurricanes over the past 30 years,” Branson continued.

Climate Change Warning Aimed at Trump Administration

Expressing his hope that “all people and animals can keep out of harm’s way in the coming days,” Branson also explained that Hurricane Irma can be seen of warning that much more needs to be done to fight climate change, including unanimous support of the Paris Agreement on Clean Energy.

“Man-made climate change is a key factor in the increasing intensity of these hurricanes, as many experts have suggested,” said Branson. “The damage is a tragic and costly reminder that our climate is changing and that we are not doing enough to tackle this enormous challenge.”

More News to Come

Private Island News will do its best to provide updates on the developing situation in the Caribbean, including updates about all the island resorts effected by this unfolding tragedy.

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