page_title: Barbuda
section_title: Hurricane Irma
hierarchical_section_title: Barbuda / History / Natural disasters / Hurricane Irma
caption_attribution_description: English: Satellite image of Antigua and Barbuda, before and after Hurricane Irma, illustrating the damage done by Hurricane Irma to Barbuda's vegetation.
context_page_description: Barbuda is a small island located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the sovereign Commonwealth nation of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located north of the Antigua Island and is part of the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. Antigua and Barbuda gained full independence on 1 November 1981 as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. The island is a popular tourist destination because of its moderate climate and coastline.
  Historically, most of Barbuda's 1,634 residents have lived in the town of Codrington. However, in September 2017, Hurricane Irma damaged or destroyed 95% of the island's buildings and infrastructure and as a result, all the island's inhabitants were evacuated to Antigua, leaving Barbuda empty for the first time in modern history.
context_section_description: 22 years after Hurricane Luis, Hurricane Irma caused catastrophic damage when it made landfall on the island on 6 September 2017. Prime Minister Gaston Browne stated that the Category 5 hurricane had destroyed 95% of the structures and vehicles on the island. Initial estimates showed that at least 60% of the island's residents were homeless because of the disaster. All communications with Barbuda were down for a time; the storm had destroyed most of the communications system.
  On 8 September 2017, the government began to evacuate the entire island (with residents moved to Antigua) in anticipation of the Category 4 Hurricane Jose, which was approaching from the east. Nearly 1,800 residents were evacuated to Antigua; some were accommodated in the Sir Vivian Richards cricket stadium. A hurricane warning for Jose was issued for several islands, including Barbuda.
  On 14 September, Ronald Sanders, Ambassador to the US, described the situation on Barbuda:  "There is no electricity there, there is no potable water anymore, there is no structure in which people can survive. We have a mammoth task on our hands." He also stated this is the first time in 300 years that the island has not had a single living person on it.  Sanders said, "We are a small island community — the gross domestic product of Antigua is $1 billion a year. We cannot afford to take on this responsibility by ourselves. Barbuda is not just a disaster, it's a humanitarian crisis. We are hopeful that the international community will come to our aid, not because we're begging for something we want, but because we're begging for something that is needed."
  The United States Agency for International Development confirmed its commitment to provide coordination between the government and aid organizations; it also sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team. On 8 September, the first of three cargo planes arrived in Antigua from the US, with over 120,000 pounds of relief supplies for Barbudans. The cost was covered by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and with donations from Martin Franklyn and the Coleman Company in the US.
  An estimate published by Time indicated that over $100 million would be required to rebuild homes and infrastructure. In a statement, Sanders stated that the reconstruction may cost up to $300 million. Philmore Mullin, Director of Barbuda's National Office of Disaster Services, said that "all critical infrastructure and utilities are non-existent – food supply, medicine, shelter, electricity, water, communications, waste management... Public utilities need to be rebuilt in their entirety... It is optimistic to think anything can be rebuilt in six months ... In my 25 years in disaster management, I have never seen something like this."
  A report in April 2018 indicated that many of the few people living on the island were making do in tents; some government buildings were still being repaired. By that time, water and electricity were available in government buildings, the police station, the hospital and the post office in Codrington. Prime minister Gaston Browne said there were plans to build a new runway for jets at the airport but no specifics had been released.
caption: Satellite images of Antigua and Barbuda from August 21, 2017, and September 8, 2017, illustrating the damage caused by Hurricane Irma to Barbuda. The browning of the island was a result of extreme wind damage to foliage and desiccation of vegetation due to sea spray.[22]
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