‘Worst ever seen’: European leaders view devastated islands
POINTE-A-PITRE, Guadeloupe — France’s president and the Dutch king visited Caribbean territories on Tuesday that have been hammered by Hurricane Irma, trying to quell accusations by residents that European governments were unprepared, slow to react and sometimes even racist in their responses to the devastation.
French President Emmanuel Macron flew into Guadeloupe and was heading to the hard-hit French-Dutch island of St. Martin to meet with residents. His plane brought water, food, tons of medicine and emergency equipment, doctors and recovery experts to an island demolished by the power of the Category 5 hurricane.
In a news conference in the Pointe-a-Pitre airport, Macron said the government’s “top priority” is to help island residents return to normal life.
“We have put in place one of the biggest air bridges since World War II” to bring emergency aid and rescuers to the islands of St. Martin and St. Barts, he said.