ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Richard Branson’s Necker Island home has been left “uninhabitable” after Hurricane Irma obliterated swathes of the Caribbean.

The British billionaire retreated to his concrete wine cellar with his team as the powerful category 5 hurricane swept through his private retreat the British Virgin Islands.

It is the second time the Necker Island home has been severely damaged after the building caught fire when it was struck by lightning caused by Hurricane Irene six years ago.

Hurricane Irma – the most powerful ever recorded in the Atlantic – tore a deadly path through the Caribbean on Wednesday, killing at least eight people.

The storm destroyed nearly all buildings on the island of Barbuda, killing a two-year-old child as a family tried to escape, before wreaking havoc on the French territories of St Martin and St Barts, leaving a further seven people dead.

After the hurricane hit Necker Island, Branson’s son Sam said his father and family were safe.

He added that most of the buildings on the island had been destroyed and that their main house had been left “unhabitable”.

Writing on Instagram, his son said: “Glad to say that all humans on Necker are OK. Sad to say that most of the buildings have been destroyed and main house is ‘uninhabitable’.

Hurricane Irma - In pictures 115 show all Hurricane Irma - In pictures 1/115 Boats wrecked by Hurricane Irma are seen from a plane in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Reuters 2/115 A van remains in a sinkhole,at the Astor Park apartment complex in Winter Springs, Florida AP 3/115 This combination of natural-color images provided by NASA Earth Observatory shows the U.S. and British Virgin Islands islands on 25 August 2017 (top) before the the passage of Hurricane Irma, and after the storm passed on 10 September 2017 (bottom) AP 4/115 Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters 5/115 Debris lies from a destroyed building in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Key Largo, Florida AP 6/115 A house slides into the Atlantic Ocean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida AP 7/115 John Duke tries to figure out how to salvage his flooded vehicle in the wake Hurricane Irma AP 8/115 Damaged houses are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys AP 9/115 Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after the passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters 10/115 The Sunrise Motel remains flooded after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images 11/115 Debris from Hurricane Irma lays on the side of the Overseas Highway in Islamorda in the Florida Keys AP 12/115 A mobile home, destroyed by Hurricane Irma, is seen in Naples, Florida Reuters 13/115 A Florida Highway Patrol trooper inspects a closed segment of Interstate 4, near State Road 434 in Longwood AP 14/115 Steve Slonan inspects a friend's home after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images 15/115 Olga Teakell hugs her grandson Gabriel Melendez, 9, after he cut his finger on glass, while he and his bother Ellisha, 12, (left) help clean debris from Olga's destroyed home in the Naples Estates Mobile Home Park, Florida AP 16/115 Damaged sail boats are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma AP 17/115 Two men walk their bicycle along a flooded street on the waterfront of Fort Lauderdale, Florida., as Hurricane Irma passes through AP 18/115 Boats ride out the storm in a marina in Miami, Florida. Getty Images 19/115 View of damages after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cojimar neighborhood in Havana AFP/Getty Images 20/115 The epic scale of Hurricane Irma has been revealed in incredible satellite images sent from the International Space Station Nasa/Randy Bresnik Randy Bresnik/NASA 21/115 A fallen tree crashes atop a row of cars in Miami, Florida AFP/Getty Images 22/115 People waded through flood-hit streets in Cuba AP 23/115 Sheryl and Rick Estes (R) take shelter from Hurricane Irma inside the Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. Reuters 24/115 Cars that have been wrecked by Hurricane Irma on the British Virgin Islands. AP 25/115 Debris litters the street after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 26/115 People battle high winds and rain to take in the sights along the Miami River which is flooding as Hurricane Irma passes through on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida Getty Images 27/115 A man swims on a flooded street in Havana, Cuba EPA 28/115 Tourists lie on a beach, littered with palms, one day after Hurricane Irma passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba AP 29/115 A stranded manatee in Manatee County, Florida. The mammal was stranded after waters receded from the Florida bay as Hurricane Irma approached AP 30/115 A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida AP 31/115 A defiant man braves the full force of Irma and takes a selfie as the storm strikes Miami, Florida EPA 32/115 Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida Reuters 33/115 A speed limit sign stands tilted and a power line that snapped it half lays on a building, after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 34/115 People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma in Florida AP 35/115 Richard Branson posted this picture from Puerto Rico after revealing the devastation to Necker Island @richardbranson 36/115 A woman walks her dog in the brisk wind downtown as the weather conditions deteriorate due to Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA 37/115 Satellite shows Hurricane Irma as it moves on the Florida coast as Tropical Storm Jose (right) moves west in the Atlantic Ocean taken at 06:30 GMT on 11 September 2017. As Irma heads up Florida's west coast its leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power as more than 100,000 people have taken refuge in shelters and millions have evacuated the area Getty Images 38/115 Firefighters Dohnovan Simpson and Jacob McGovern carry Dolores Gevaza, 83, across the courtyard in the rain at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school filled classrooms and hallways with people evacuating before Hurricane Irma makes landfall AP 39/115 Samantha Belk says goodbye to her maltese, Gardolf until after the hurricane in a locker room at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida AP 40/115 Debris is piled up next to the houses on the seashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters 41/115 Heavy traffic traveling north bound on Interstate 75 moves slowly, as a major evacuation has begun in preparation for Hurricane Irma AP 42/115 Soldiers board a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before they are flown to help out in the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA 43/115 A woman takes a break from cleaning the debris in front of a house, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters 44/115 Marie Charlotte walks through water near her house that was flooded in Malfeti, Fort Liberte, north east of Haiti AFP/Getty Images 45/115 Customers buy supplies and wood to secure their property in preparation of Hurricane Irma in Miami AP 46/115 Dfid aid is loaded onto a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before it is flown to the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA 47/115 Damage outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 48/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 49/115 Edward Pastrana installs wood shutters at the Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach AP 50/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 51/115 Debris and trash is seen on a beach in Cap-Haitien as Hurricane Irma approaches. AFP/Getty Images 52/115 Workers hang plywood in front of doors and windows at Mango's, a salsa club, following mandatory evacuation orders in Miami Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 53/115 A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florid AFP/Getty Images 54/115 A family readies to evacuate from a mobile home park in the Little Haiti neighborhood ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA 55/115 Motorists remove debris caused by Hurricane Irma from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 56/115 A young man walks along the beach covered with debris carried by strong winds in Cap Haitian, Haiti EPA 57/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 58/115 the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Maarten AP 59/115 Storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees AP 60/115 Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma on Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 61/115 Volaris Airlines ticket agent Cely Vasquez (left) attends to Mexico bound passengers at Miami International Airport AP 62/115 Satellite image showing the eye of Hurricane Irma (centre) is just north of the island of Hispaniola with Hurricane Katia (left) in the Gulf of Mexico, and Hurricane Jose, (right) in the Atlantic Ocean AP 63/115 sStellite image shows the eye Hurricane Irma just north of the island of Hispaniola. The fearsome Category 5 storm cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean AP 64/115 Yanina Fernandez (left) and her sister Liz, wait for an available flight to Argentina after their flight was cancelled at Miami International Airport AP 65/115 damage to a post office caused by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 66/115 Aerial image of several damaged houses by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 67/115 Residents clear debris from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 68/115 Cars piled on top of one another in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 69/115 Destroyed palm trees, outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 70/115 A car turned onto its side in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 71/115 Damage outside "Le flamboyant" hotel and resort in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 72/115 Devastation in Philipsburg, Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 73/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 74/115 Pleasure craft lie crammed against the shore in Paraquita Bay, British Virgin Islands Reuters 75/115 Satellite image shows Huricane Irma at 12:30 UK time. Irma cut a swathe of deadly destruction as it roared through the Caribbean, claiming at least nine lives and turning the tropical islands of St. Martin and Barbuda into mountains of rubble. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma churned westward off the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Thursday on a potential collision course with south Florida AFP/Getty Images 76/115 A street in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy in the Caribbean AFP/Getty Images 77/115 Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex 78/115 Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex 79/115 Hurricane Irma evacuating traffic streaming out of Florida creeps along northbound Interstate 75 after a vehicle accident in Lake Park, Georgia, USA epa 80/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 81/115 iew of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters 82/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 83/115 Barbuda 84/115 Members of the civil defence in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters 85/115 A destroyed building in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images 86/115 Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 87/115 Barbuda 88/115 Rescue staff from the Municipal Emergency Management Agency check a flooded car in Fajardo, Puerto Rico AP 89/115 Flooded houses in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images 90/115 People pick up debris in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters 91/115 Barbuda 92/115 A flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island AFP/Getty Images 93/115 Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. Jose strengthened into a category 1 hurricane, as Irma, a category 5 hurricane continues to move through the Caribbean, battering Barbuda, St. Martin and Puerto Rico EPA 94/115 The destruction at Sir Richard Branson's island of Necker Sir Richard Branson 95/115 Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 96/115 A woman pushes out floodwaters on her property in St John's AP 97/115 Cars left flooded in Saint Martin 98/115 Saint Martin is suffering catastrophic flooding 99/115 Hurricane Irma hitting Saint Martin 100/115 Some of the devastation left behind at Saint Martin 101/115 Hurricane Irma hits Saint Martin 102/115 Floodwaters run down a street in Saint Martin Carole Greaux 103/115 Saint Martin 104/115 Residents in St Petersburg, Florida, carry sandbags ahead of Hurricane Irma AP 105/115 A satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 11AM UK time slamming into the French Caribbean islands. Countries can be seen outlined on the image AFP/Getty Images 106/115 A view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 107/115 Employees load plywood for customers in preparation for Hurricane Irma at Lowe's in Jacksonville, Florida AP 108/115 Shoppers in Florida ransacked a supermarket as they prepared for Hurricane Irma Getty Images 109/115 Shoppers at Costco waited up to eight hours for water and essentials in preparation for Hurricane Irma in North Miami AFP/Getty Images 110/115 Policemen talk to customers at a Costco shop in North Miami as mineral water is sold out and people shop ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 111/115 Members of the Civil Defense prepare their gear ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Reuters 112/115 People put boards on their windows in Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 113/115 People load up their cars with sandbags in St Petersburg as the storm approaches AP 114/115 A thermal image of Harricane Irma NOAA 115/115 Satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 10.45am UK time followed by Tropical Storm Jose AFP/Getty Images 1/115 Boats wrecked by Hurricane Irma are seen from a plane in Sint Maarten, Netherlands Reuters 2/115 A van remains in a sinkhole,at the Astor Park apartment complex in Winter Springs, Florida AP 3/115 This combination of natural-color images provided by NASA Earth Observatory shows the U.S. and British Virgin Islands islands on 25 August 2017 (top) before the the passage of Hurricane Irma, and after the storm passed on 10 September 2017 (bottom) AP 4/115 Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters 5/115 Debris lies from a destroyed building in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Key Largo, Florida AP 6/115 A house slides into the Atlantic Ocean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida AP 7/115 John Duke tries to figure out how to salvage his flooded vehicle in the wake Hurricane Irma AP 8/115 Damaged houses are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys AP 9/115 Property damage is seen at a mobile home park after the passing of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Florida Reuters 10/115 The Sunrise Motel remains flooded after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images 11/115 Debris from Hurricane Irma lays on the side of the Overseas Highway in Islamorda in the Florida Keys AP 12/115 A mobile home, destroyed by Hurricane Irma, is seen in Naples, Florida Reuters 13/115 A Florida Highway Patrol trooper inspects a closed segment of Interstate 4, near State Road 434 in Longwood AP 14/115 Steve Slonan inspects a friend's home after Hurricane Irma hit the area in East Naples, Florida Getty Images 15/115 Olga Teakell hugs her grandson Gabriel Melendez, 9, after he cut his finger on glass, while he and his bother Ellisha, 12, (left) help clean debris from Olga's destroyed home in the Naples Estates Mobile Home Park, Florida AP 16/115 Damaged sail boats are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma AP 17/115 Two men walk their bicycle along a flooded street on the waterfront of Fort Lauderdale, Florida., as Hurricane Irma passes through AP 18/115 Boats ride out the storm in a marina in Miami, Florida. Getty Images 19/115 View of damages after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cojimar neighborhood in Havana AFP/Getty Images 20/115 The epic scale of Hurricane Irma has been revealed in incredible satellite images sent from the International Space Station Nasa/Randy Bresnik Randy Bresnik/NASA 21/115 A fallen tree crashes atop a row of cars in Miami, Florida AFP/Getty Images 22/115 People waded through flood-hit streets in Cuba AP 23/115 Sheryl and Rick Estes (R) take shelter from Hurricane Irma inside the Germain Arena in Estero, Florida. Reuters 24/115 Cars that have been wrecked by Hurricane Irma on the British Virgin Islands. AP 25/115 Debris litters the street after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 26/115 People battle high winds and rain to take in the sights along the Miami River which is flooding as Hurricane Irma passes through on September 10, 2017 in Miami, Florida Getty Images 27/115 A man swims on a flooded street in Havana, Cuba EPA 28/115 Tourists lie on a beach, littered with palms, one day after Hurricane Irma passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba AP 29/115 A stranded manatee in Manatee County, Florida. The mammal was stranded after waters receded from the Florida bay as Hurricane Irma approached AP 30/115 A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida AP 31/115 A defiant man braves the full force of Irma and takes a selfie as the storm strikes Miami, Florida EPA 32/115 Flooding in the Brickell neighborhood as Hurricane Irma passes Miami, Florida Reuters 33/115 A speed limit sign stands tilted and a power line that snapped it half lays on a building, after the passage of Hurricane Irma in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 34/115 People tend to a car that flipped over on Cape Coral Parkway during Hurricane Irma in Florida AP 35/115 Richard Branson posted this picture from Puerto Rico after revealing the devastation to Necker Island @richardbranson 36/115 A woman walks her dog in the brisk wind downtown as the weather conditions deteriorate due to Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA 37/115 Satellite shows Hurricane Irma as it moves on the Florida coast as Tropical Storm Jose (right) moves west in the Atlantic Ocean taken at 06:30 GMT on 11 September 2017. As Irma heads up Florida's west coast its leaving hundreds of thousands of residents without power as more than 100,000 people have taken refuge in shelters and millions have evacuated the area Getty Images 38/115 Firefighters Dohnovan Simpson and Jacob McGovern carry Dolores Gevaza, 83, across the courtyard in the rain at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school filled classrooms and hallways with people evacuating before Hurricane Irma makes landfall AP 39/115 Samantha Belk says goodbye to her maltese, Gardolf until after the hurricane in a locker room at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida AP 40/115 Debris is piled up next to the houses on the seashore in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters 41/115 Heavy traffic traveling north bound on Interstate 75 moves slowly, as a major evacuation has begun in preparation for Hurricane Irma AP 42/115 Soldiers board a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before they are flown to help out in the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA 43/115 A woman takes a break from cleaning the debris in front of a house, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Reuters 44/115 Marie Charlotte walks through water near her house that was flooded in Malfeti, Fort Liberte, north east of Haiti AFP/Getty Images 45/115 Customers buy supplies and wood to secure their property in preparation of Hurricane Irma in Miami AP 46/115 Dfid aid is loaded onto a Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, before it is flown to the areas affected by Hurricane Irma as winds of up to 175mph left death and destruction in the Atlantic PA 47/115 Damage outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 48/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 49/115 Edward Pastrana installs wood shutters at the Miami City Ballet in Miami Beach AP 50/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 51/115 Debris and trash is seen on a beach in Cap-Haitien as Hurricane Irma approaches. AFP/Getty Images 52/115 Workers hang plywood in front of doors and windows at Mango's, a salsa club, following mandatory evacuation orders in Miami Beach, Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 53/115 A nearly-deserted beach after residents and visitors evacuated from Miami Beach, Florid AFP/Getty Images 54/115 A family readies to evacuate from a mobile home park in the Little Haiti neighborhood ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Irma in Miami, Florida EPA 55/115 Motorists remove debris caused by Hurricane Irma from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 56/115 A young man walks along the beach covered with debris carried by strong winds in Cap Haitian, Haiti EPA 57/115 UK Armed Forces disaster relief operation in Anguilla MoD/Crown copyright 2017 58/115 the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in St. Maarten AP 59/115 Storm damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in St. Martin. Irma cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless after destroying buildings and uprooting trees AP 60/115 Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma on Charlotte Amalie, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 61/115 Volaris Airlines ticket agent Cely Vasquez (left) attends to Mexico bound passengers at Miami International Airport AP 62/115 Satellite image showing the eye of Hurricane Irma (centre) is just north of the island of Hispaniola with Hurricane Katia (left) in the Gulf of Mexico, and Hurricane Jose, (right) in the Atlantic Ocean AP 63/115 sStellite image shows the eye Hurricane Irma just north of the island of Hispaniola. The fearsome Category 5 storm cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean AP 64/115 Yanina Fernandez (left) and her sister Liz, wait for an available flight to Argentina after their flight was cancelled at Miami International Airport AP 65/115 damage to a post office caused by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 66/115 Aerial image of several damaged houses by Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 67/115 Residents clear debris from the road in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands AP 68/115 Cars piled on top of one another in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 69/115 Destroyed palm trees, outside the "Mercure" hotel in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 70/115 A car turned onto its side in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle, on the French Collectivity of Saint Martin, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 71/115 Damage outside "Le flamboyant" hotel and resort in Marigot, on the Bay of Nettle, on the island of Saint-Martin in the northeast Caribbean, after the passage of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 72/115 Devastation in Philipsburg, Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 73/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 74/115 Pleasure craft lie crammed against the shore in Paraquita Bay, British Virgin Islands Reuters 75/115 Satellite image shows Huricane Irma at 12:30 UK time. Irma cut a swathe of deadly destruction as it roared through the Caribbean, claiming at least nine lives and turning the tropical islands of St. Martin and Barbuda into mountains of rubble. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma churned westward off the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Thursday on a potential collision course with south Florida AFP/Getty Images 76/115 A street in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy in the Caribbean AFP/Getty Images 77/115 Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex 78/115 Damage caused by hurricane Irma in Saint-Martin, Leeward Islands Rex 79/115 Hurricane Irma evacuating traffic streaming out of Florida creeps along northbound Interstate 75 after a vehicle accident in Lake Park, Georgia, USA epa 80/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 81/115 iew of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Saint Martin Reuters 82/115 Hurricane Irma slams Saint Martin Splash News 83/115 Barbuda 84/115 Members of the civil defence in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters 85/115 A destroyed building in Gustavia on the French overseas collectivity of Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images 86/115 Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 87/115 Barbuda 88/115 Rescue staff from the Municipal Emergency Management Agency check a flooded car in Fajardo, Puerto Rico AP 89/115 Flooded houses in Gustavia, Saint-Barthelemy AFP/Getty Images 90/115 People pick up debris in Fajardo, Puerto Rico Reuters 91/115 Barbuda 92/115 A flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island AFP/Getty Images 93/115 Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. Jose strengthened into a category 1 hurricane, as Irma, a category 5 hurricane continues to move through the Caribbean, battering Barbuda, St. Martin and Puerto Rico EPA 94/115 The destruction at Sir Richard Branson's island of Necker Sir Richard Branson 95/115 Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 96/115 A woman pushes out floodwaters on her property in St John's AP 97/115 Cars left flooded in Saint Martin 98/115 Saint Martin is suffering catastrophic flooding 99/115 Hurricane Irma hitting Saint Martin 100/115 Some of the devastation left behind at Saint Martin 101/115 Hurricane Irma hits Saint Martin 102/115 Floodwaters run down a street in Saint Martin Carole Greaux 103/115 Saint Martin 104/115 Residents in St Petersburg, Florida, carry sandbags ahead of Hurricane Irma AP 105/115 A satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 11AM UK time slamming into the French Caribbean islands. Countries can be seen outlined on the image AFP/Getty Images 106/115 A view of the Baie Nettle beach in Marigot ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 107/115 Employees load plywood for customers in preparation for Hurricane Irma at Lowe's in Jacksonville, Florida AP 108/115 Shoppers in Florida ransacked a supermarket as they prepared for Hurricane Irma Getty Images 109/115 Shoppers at Costco waited up to eight hours for water and essentials in preparation for Hurricane Irma in North Miami AFP/Getty Images 110/115 Policemen talk to customers at a Costco shop in North Miami as mineral water is sold out and people shop ahead of Hurricane Irma AFP/Getty Images 111/115 Members of the Civil Defense prepare their gear ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Reuters 112/115 People put boards on their windows in Saint Martin AFP/Getty Images 113/115 People load up their cars with sandbags in St Petersburg as the storm approaches AP 114/115 A thermal image of Harricane Irma NOAA 115/115 Satellite image shows Hurricane Irma at 10.45am UK time followed by Tropical Storm Jose AFP/Getty Images

“[It’s] making me very concerned for our friends and everyone on the neighbouring islands and people in its path.

“Please don’t take this hurricane lightly if it is heading your way. If your building is not very solid, do find somewhere safe. Homes can be rebuilt but lives can’t.

“Nature warning us again of the impact of climate change. We must all do more.”

Actress Kate Winslet was on the island with Branson, his mother and 20 other guests when Huricane Irene hit in 2011. Former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, model Kate Moss and singer Harry Styles are among the famous faces to have visited the island.

Princess Diana also holidayed there.

Virgin boss and business tycoon Branson had earlier revealed in his online blog that he would be staying on the island of Necker for Hurricane Irma, despite warnings from officials of a “potentially catastrophic” impact.

He posted pictures of furniture stacked up and hurricane blinds down on his luxury home as he braced for the Category five storm.

Branson also shared photos of he and his team having a sleepover on Tuesday night and playing card games while “howling wind and rain” battered his home as the storm approached.

Writing on his blog on Wednesday, he said: “We are expecting to get the full force of the hurricane in around five hours’ time, when we will retreat to a concrete wine cellar under the Great House.

Necker Island Celebrities - In pictures 11 show all Necker Island Celebrities - In pictures 1/11 Barack Obama Jack Brockway/Virgin.com. 2/11 Princess Diana Rex 3/11 Cressida Bonas 4/11 Ronnie Wood and David Hasselhoff 5/11 Kelly Brook 6/11 Mariah Carey with Sir Richard Branson MTV Cribs/Splash News 7/11 Sir Richard Branson BBC 8/11 Sam Branson Birthday party on Necker Island. Sam was joined by (from left) event planner Marielle Smit, Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham and actress Nicolette van Dam, 33 9/11 Boris Becker and Sharley 10/11 John Hurt 11/11 Richard Branson and his new wife, Joan Templeman, with their children, Holly and Sam, after their wedding on the Caribbean island of Necker in 1989 PA 1/11 Barack Obama Jack Brockway/Virgin.com. 2/11 Princess Diana Rex 3/11 Cressida Bonas 4/11 Ronnie Wood and David Hasselhoff 5/11 Kelly Brook 6/11 Mariah Carey with Sir Richard Branson MTV Cribs/Splash News 7/11 Sir Richard Branson BBC 8/11 Sam Branson Birthday party on Necker Island. Sam was joined by (from left) event planner Marielle Smit, Sky Sports presenter Natalie Pinkham and actress Nicolette van Dam, 33 9/11 Boris Becker and Sharley 10/11 John Hurt 11/11 Richard Branson and his new wife, Joan Templeman, with their children, Holly and Sam, after their wedding on the Caribbean island of Necker in 1989 PA

“Knowing our wonderful team as I do, I suspect there will be little wine left in the cellar when we all emerge.”

The British overseas territory of Anguilla was among the first islands to be hit by the hurricane.

Britons have been urged by the Foreign Office to follow evacuation orders, while states of emergency have been declared in Puerto Rico, Cuba and Florida - amid fears Miami could be struck directly by the hurricane.