
Hurricane Irma has destroyed 90 percent of the tiny island of Barbuda after 185 mph winds battered the Caribbean on Wednesday, killing at least four people.

The deadly category 5 storm - the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic - made its first landfall early Wednesday morning, pummeling Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and sparking a 'major humanitarian crisis'.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the hurricane had completely destroyed about 90 percent of the island's homes and vehicles.

'The entire housing stock was damaged... Some have lost whole roofs. Some properties have been totally demolished,' Browne said in an interview with ABS TV Radio in Antigua.

'It is just a total devastation. Barbuda is literally rubble,' he added, saying the island that is home to a population of 1,800 was 'barely habitable'.

'We have estimated the rebuilding efforts to be no less than $150 million. That is conservative, because we're talking about rebuilding everything, all of the institutions, the infrastructure, the telecommunications, the roads... Even the hotels on the island, those are totally demolished, as well. It is terrible.'

Aerial footage of the island after Irma passed through showed a desolate, flooded landscape shorn of trees and foliage with overturned vehicles and scattered debris.

A two-year-old child was killed in Barbuda while trying to escape a damaged building with its mother. Two were killed when the hurricane struck St. Barts and St. Martin, while another death was reported in Anguilla.

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Hurricane Irma destroyed 90 percent of the tiny island of Barbuda (above) when it made landfall early on Wednesday. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the hurricane had reduced the island to 'rubble'

The majority of Barbuda's buildings were flattened when Hurricane Irma battered the tiny island with a population of 1,600

The deadly category 5 Hurricane Irma - the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic - made its first landfall early Wednesday morning, pummeling Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and sparking a 'major humanitarian crisis'

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the hurricane had destroyed about 90 percent of structures and vehicles in Barbuda. A resident is pictured above examining his damaged home in in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda

Buildings have been destroyed, roads flooded and people left trapped after the 'monster' storm, which is estimated to be the size of France. Pictured above is St. Martin where one person was reported to have died

Boats piled up as the eye of Hurricane Irma passed over Tortola in British Virgin Islands on Wednesday

In other parts of the Caribbean, buildings have also been destroyed, roads flooded and people left trapped after the 'monster' storm, which is estimated to be the size of France.

Heavy rain and howling winds from the hurricane raked the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, St Barts and St Martin, sending debris flying as people huddled in their homes or public shelters.

French officials said St Barts and St Martin (about 40 per cent of which is Dutch territory) have been 'battered extremely violently' with even sturdy government buildings destroyed. Emergency food and water rations are being sent to the islands.

By early Wednesday afternoon the center of the storm was 20 miles east-southeast of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands and 90 miles east of San Juan, Puerto Rico and heading west-northwest at 16 mph.

NOAA Hurricane Hunters flight director Richard Henning told CNN Wednesday night that Irma is 'getting stronger'.

He said hurricane aircrafts were measuring winds over 189 mph at the eye of the storm.

'You really can't over-hype this storm. We haven't really seen a storm like Irma.'

The US National Weather Service said Puerto Rico had not seen a hurricane of Irma's magnitude since Hurricane San Felipe in 1928, which killed a total of 2,748 people in Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico and Florida.

'The dangerousness of this event is like nothing we've ever seen,' Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello said. 'A lot of infrastructure won't be able to withstand this kind of force.'

Puerto Rico's public power company has cut back on staff and maintenance amid a deep economic crisis and the agency's director warned that some areas could be without power from four to six months because the infrastructure has already deteriorated so badly. Power outages were reported in some neighborhoods well ahead of the storm.

Irma started lashing Puerto Rico with heavy rain and powerful winds Wednesday night, leaving nearly 900,000 people without power. Rescue crews are pictured above investigating a flooded car Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Even before the storm hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday, it churned up winds strong enough to down trees, like the one above

Above, another downed tree in Puerto Rico on Wednesday as the island hunkered down for the storm

Employees of of the Courtyard Marriot Hotel board up windows as they prepare for the arrival if Hurricane Irma, in San Juan Puerto Rico on Wednesday

Sylvia Lamzo, 69, sits on a folding bed at an emergency center as Hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo on Wednesday

Yanina Lopez sits on a folding bed at an emergency center as Hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo, on September 6, 2017

People rest at an emergency center as Hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo, on September 6, 2017

A man rests on a cot inside a shelter set up at the Berta Zalduondo elementary school during the passage of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo, northeast Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017

The federal government has stepped in, with President Donald Trump this week approving an emergency declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. That means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other agencies can remove debris and give other services that will largely be paid for by the U.S. government.

State maintenance worker Juan Tosado said he was without power for three months after Hurricane Hugo killed dozens of people in Puerto Rico in 1989.

'I expect the same from this storm,' he said. 'It's going to be bad.'

Trump declared emergencies in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and authorities in the Bahamas said they would evacuate the residents of six islands at the southern end of the island chain. A mandatory evacuation is under way in the Florida Keys, and is expected to expand at the storm gets nearer.

The president said the hurricane looks like 'something that could be not good.'

Hurricane rescue teams evaluated the damage at Juliana Airport in St Martin after the storm passed on Wednesday

Inside the airport, which lies on the Dutch side of Saint Martin island, the check-in lounge was flooded and walkways were damaged by the storm

Huge rocks smashed into planes, and boarding walkways were slammed to the ground by the downpour of rain and gusts of wind, which also brought loads of sand on to the runway

Video footage shows the moment the storm ripped through Princess Juliana International Airport in St Maarten's, with 185mph winds blowing over safety fences and battering nearby Maho beach.

A handout picture released on Wednesday shows flooding on the island of Saint-Martin in the Caribbean

Hotels were flooded and cars submerged as floods hit coastal areas during hurricane-force winds on St Martin overnight

This was the scene of devastation on St Martin after fierce winds and flooding destroyed buildings and swamped roads

Trees came crashing down on the tops of houses and roads were left under several feet of water after the storm passed

Brute force: Hurricane Irma has wreaked havoc after pummeling exotic Caribbean islands with 185mph winds on its devastating march towards the US east coast. This was the scene on St Martin earlier today

Huge metal objects were flipped over, buildings were flooded and people were left trapped in buildings as the hurricane struck on St Marti

Ahead of a meeting with Congressional leaders, Trump said the group had a lot to discuss, including what 'seems to be record-breaking hurricane heading right toward Florida and Puerto Rico and other places.'

Trump said 'we'll see what happens.' He added: 'it looks like it could be something that could be not good, believe me not good.'

Meanwhile, billionaire Sir Richard Branson is currently hunkering down with staff at his private island in the British Virgin Islands.

Experts say Irma is now so powerful it is registering on devices designed to detect earthquakes. Scientists picked up the background noise of winds causing trees to move and crashing ocean waves on their earthquake-detecting seismometers.

In addition to Irma, Tropical Storm Jose has now formed behind it in the open Atlantic and is expected to develop into a hurricane. A third tropical storm - Katia - has also formed in the Gulf of Mexico with winds but is expected to stay offshore until Friday morning.

Storm coming: The most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history made its first landfall in the islands of the northeast Caribbean early Wednesday, churning along a path pointing to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba before possibly heading for Florida over the weekend

Social media videos show how the hurricane lashed the coastline of Saint Martin overnight with cars submerged in water. This picture is believed to have been taken at the Beach Plaza hotel on the island

Video shows how the Beach Plaza hotel on St Martin (pictured) was flooded with water as the hurricane struck overnight

Hurricane Irma roared into the Caribbean with record-setting force early Wednesday, shaking homes and flooding buildings on a chain of small islands along a path to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and eventually south Florida.

Latest on evacuation orders from Florida Gov. Rick Scott's office: Visitors must leave the Florida Keys now under a mandatory evacuation order. Residents must evacuate starting Wednesday evening under Monroe County's mandatory order.

Broward County has issued voluntary evacuations of mobile homes and low-lying areas. Collier County has issued voluntary evacuations of Marco Island. In Miami-Dade County, individuals with special needs began evacuating Wednesday morning.

Additional evacuations are expected throughout the state. All Floridians should pay close attention to local alerts and follow the directions of local officials. To find available shelters by county, visit floridadisaster.org/shelters. Advertisement

Irma passed almost directly over the island of Barbuda, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

The Red Cross this morning said it is preparing for 'a major humanitarian response'.

'The forecast as it stands right now is extremely worrying,' said Walter Cotte, the agency's Regional Director for the Americas. 'We are anticipating major impacts on a number of islands, and we are preparing to respond to needs that may arise.

'One of the main challenges is going to be logistical, given the isolation of some the islands. We need to ensure a reliable channel for relief efforts in the aftermath of the hurricane.'

France sent emergency food and water rations to the French islands of Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, where Irma ripped off roofs and knocked out all electricity.

The regional authority for Guadeloupe and neighboring islands said the fire station in Saint Barthelemy was flooded by more than 3 feet (1 meter) of water and no rescue vehicles could move. The government headquarters on Saint Martin was partially destroyed.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but the minister for overseas territories, Annick Girardin, said: 'We have a lot to fear for a certain number of our compatriots who unfortunately didn't want to listen to the protection measures and go to more secure sites... We're preparing for the worst.'

A boy brings his father's wooden boat ashore as a precaution against Hurricane Irma, in the seaside slum of Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Wednesday

Fishermen remove their wooden boat from the sea as a precaution against Hurricane Irma, in the seaside slum of Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Wednesday

Members of the Civil Defense make preparations in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean, September 6, 2017

Children in a low-income neighborhood collect water as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean on Wednesday, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic September 6, 2017

Children in a low-income neighborhood carry containers for water as Hurricane Irma slammed across islands in the northern Caribbean on Wednesday, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic September 6, 2017

A member of the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) monitors the trajectory of Hurricane Irma in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, September 6, 2017

Workers cut down trees and branches before the arrival of Hurricane Irma in the Dominican Republic, on September 6, 2017 in Santo Domingo. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas

Some workers secure a wattle roof with a mesh pending the imminent arrival of Hurricane Irma in the Dominican Republic, on September 6, 2017 in Santo Domingo

The windows of a migrations office are covered with wooden planks due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Irma in the Dominican Republic, on September 6, 2017 in Santo Domingo

Dutch authorities are trying to gauge the extent of damage in Sint Maarten from Hurricane Irma, but officials say it appears to be significant.

St Maarten is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and shares an island with the French territory of St. Martin. The island is east of Puerto Rico.

Dutch Interior Minister Ronald Plasterk says the damage wreaked on the Caribbean island of St Maarten by Category 5 Hurricane Irma is 'enormous.'

Dutch Caribbean coast guard spokesman Roderick Gouverneur says coast guard officials in Curacao have lost communication with their base in Sint Maarten.

Plasterk told reporters in The Hague on Wednesday that the damage caused by Irma's direct hit on the island 'is so major that we don't yet have a full picture, also because contact is difficult at the moment.'

About 100 troops are on the island helping local authorities assess damage and repair vital infrastructure in the storm's aftermath. Two navy ships are also steaming to the island to offer help.

Dutch Navy spokeswoman Karen Loos says that some troops were able to send images of destruction from St. Maarten and another island, St. Eustatius.

'You do see there is a lot of damage. Trees, houses, roofs that are blown out. A lot of water, high water,' Loos said.

A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter account of RCI Guadeloupe shows damage on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin

Dramatic pictures have started to emerge on social media showing the scale of the flooding on St Martin

Police patrol the area as Hurricane Irma slams across islands in the northern Caribbean on Wednesday, in San Juan, Puerto Rico

This was the scene at Port de Gustavia on the island of Saint Barthelemy overnight as the storm started to lash the coastline

The Princess Juliana airport on St. Martin was left in disarray after hurricane force winds swept across the island overnight

Boats were capsized and thrown together by fierce 185mph winds as the hurricane tore through Saint Martin overnight

Howling winds have started to lash the island of Antigua this morning with residents told to protect themselves from the hurricane

St Martin has experienced massive flooding and devastating winds as Hurricane Irma crashes into the islan

As the eye of Hurricane Irma passed over Barbuda around 2 a.m., phone lines went down under heavy rain and howling winds that sent debris flying as people huddled in their homes or government shelters.

The storm ripped the roof off the island's police station, forcing officers to seek refuge in the fire station and at the community center that served as an official shelter. The Category 5 storm also knocked out communication between islands.

Britain is sending a Royal Navy ship to the region struck by Hurricane Irma to provide humanitarian assistance and is also sending aid experts to the region.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said Wednesday the ship will carry Royal Marines and Army engineers along with water purification equipment and other support items.

'The thoughts of the British people are with those affected by Hurricane Irma and Britain has already taken swift action to respond,' she said.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Irma's winds would fluctuate, but the storm would likely remain at Category 4 or 5 for the next day or two as it roared past Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, the Turks & Caicos and parts of the Bahamas.

Warm water is fuel for hurricanes and Irma was moving over water that was 1.8 degrees warmer than normal. The 79 degree water that hurricanes need went about 250 feet deep, said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the private forecasting service Weather Underground.

Four other storms have had winds as strong in the overall Atlantic region, but they were in the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico, which usually have warmer waters. Hurricane Allen hit 190 mph in 1980, while 2005's Wilma, 1988's Gilbert and a 1935 great Florida Keys storm all had 185 mph winds.

The northern Leeward Islands were expected to see normal tide levels rise by as much as 11 feet, while the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas could see surge of 20 feet and higher waves later in the week, forecasters said.

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said his government was evacuating six islands in the south because authorities would not be able to help anyone caught in the 'potentially catastrophic' wind, flooding and storm surge. People there would be flown to Nassau in what he called the largest storm evacuation in the country's history.

'The price you may pay for not evacuating is your life or serious physical harm,' Minnis said.

The eye of the storm is expected to rip westward on a path taking it a little north of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba.

People buy groceries at a local supermarket in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as Hurricane Irma takes aim at the Caribbean island

The Dominican Republic is home to more than 10.5million people. Above, more shoppers in the Dominican Republican on Wednesday

The northern parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti could see 10 inches of rain, with as much as 20 inches in the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.

British holidaymakers on Caribbean islands have described barricading themselves into hotels and villas as authorities in other areas order mass evacuations.

Alex Woolfall, who is staying on the island of St Maarten, told how he and other holidaymakers huddled in the concrete stairwell of their hotel as the 'apocalyptic' noise of the winds roared outside.

He tweeted: 'Still thunderous sonic boom noises outside & boiling in stairwell. Can feel scream of things being hurled against building.'

Also Wednesday morning, a new tropical storm formed in the Gulf of Mexico off Mexico's coast. Tropical Storm Katia had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph with some strengthening forecast over the next two days. But the hurricane center said Katia was expected to stay offshore through Friday morning.

And another tropical storm farther east in the Atlantic was expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday night. Tropical Storm Jose's maximum sustained winds had increased to near 60 mph. The storm was centered about 1,255 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and was moving west near 13 mph.

Eduardo Soriano of Miami, waits in a line since dawn to purchase plywood sheets at a Home Depot store in North Miami, Florida on Wednesday

Luis Lorenzo (left) and Jairo Ruiz (right) purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on Wednesday in Miami, Florida

Motorists wait in line to fill their vehicles with gas as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on Wednesday in Key Largo, Florida. The Florida Keys are currently under mandatory evacuation

In preparation of Hurricane Irma, residents of Boca Raton line up for propane on Wednesday

Miami residents shopping on Wednesday made sure to load their carts with bottled water and other supplies to last through the storm

An employee restocks bottled water on bare shelves as customers look on at a Publix grocery store on Tuesday in Surfside, Florida

Stocking up: Residents purchase water at BJ Wholesale in preparation for Hurricane Irma on Tuesday in Miami, Florida

Motorists top off their tanks, at a gas station in Tavernier, Florida on Wednesday

Jesse Dewey fills sandbags at a public works site as he prepares for Hurricane Irma, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Casselberry, Florida

Employees of a building supply store load sheets of plywood for a customer in the back of a truck during preparation for Hurricane Irma, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Orlando, Florida

Alex, left, and Cynthia Stone, of Maitland, Fla. load plywood on the roof of their vehicle as they prepare for Hurricane Irma, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Orlando, Florida

Experts say Irma's strength is a result of unusually warm water for that part of the Atlantic.

The center said there was a growing possibility that the storm's effects could be felt in Florida later this week and over the weekend, though it was still too early to be sure of its future track: 'Everyone in hurricane-prone areas should ensure that they have their hurricane plan in place.'

Florida Gov. Rick Scott says Hurricane Irma is already shaping up to be a stronger storm than Hurricane Andrew, the most destructive tropical storm to ever hit the state.

Scott appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday to issue a stern warning to his citizens - prepare for the worst and evacuate if you're ordered to.

'Let's all remember, we can rebuild your home, but we can't rebuild your life,' Scott said.

Scott said that Floridians should be prepared for a hurricane like they haven't seen before.

'We've got wind, we've got rain, and we've got storm surge. This is a massive storm. Water could cover your house. We want everybody to cover their house. This is bigger than Andrew, ' Scott said, referencing the 1992 storm that caused $26.5billion in damage to the state.

'And it sure looks like it's going to bare right down the middle of the state of Florida,' Scott added.

In a noon press conference, Scott said it was important that every Floridian prepare for the storm, since its course is still uncertain.

'It's important not to focus on the exact path of the storm. A storm of this size could have an effect state wide and everybody should be prepared. I know it shifted east in the last forecast but we all have to understand that this is serious and we can't take chances. It's is life-threatening. This is not a storm you can sit and wait through,' he said.

He added: 'Every Floridian should take this seriously and be aggressive to protect their families.'

National Weather Service Director Louis Uccellini says Hurricane Irma is so record-breaking strong it's impossible to hype.

Uccellini said Wednesday he's concerned about Florida up the east coast to North Carolina, starting with the Florida Keys.

THREE hurricanes are now in the Atlantic region all at once Tropical storm Katia strengthened into a hurricane off the Mexican coast on Wednesday - marking the first time since 2010 there has been a trio of hurricanes around the Atlantic region at the same time. Hurricane Katia is 185 miles east of Tampico, Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico. Models so far show it remaining in the southern Gulf in coming days. The announcement of Hurricane Katia came minutes after the National Hurricane Center revealed Tropical Storm Jose had formed into a category 1 hurricane in the open Atlantic. Both hurricanes formed after Hurricane Irma - a deadly category 5 storm that has become the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic. It is common for major storms to hit back to back, but to have more than one hit the US in one hurricane season is rare Advertisement

He warns that 'all the hazards associated with this storm' are going to be dangerous.

Hurricane expert Kerry Emanuel of MIT calculates that Irma holds about 7 trillion watts - about twice the energy of all bombs used in World War II.

Floridians seem to be taking hurricane prep seriously. Stores throughout the state, which has been under a state of emergency since Monday, have already started running out of bottled water and other necessities and gas stations are struggling to keep up with the never ending lines of cars.

Scott advised his citizens to stock up on what they need but not to go overboard, so that everyone can get the supplies necessary to wait out the storm.

'I'm asking everybody as you get prepared: three days of water per person, three days of food. Take enough, but only take what you need. Don't take more, so we can make sure we take care of all our neighbors,' he said.

Scott has also activated an additional 900 members of the Florida National Guard to prepare for Hurricane Irma.

Scott called up the additional guard members on Wednesday, a day after he had activated an initial 100 members. During a stop in the Florida Keys, Scott said that he still plans to another 6,000 National Guard members report to duty on Friday.

At a press conference Wednesday morning, Scott said that they are going to start the evacuations starting with the Keys, and move north depending on where the storm turns.

He also said that gas and more supplies are on the way, after stores and service stations across the state started reporting shortages.

Several big box stores have activated emergency response protocols, sending truck loads of hurricane preparation items to areas with the greatest need.