Hurricane Irma : three health emergency to deal with

Jonathan Falwell/AP/SIPA

Published the 08.09.2017 at 17h46

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hurricane IrmaSt MartinSt Barthélémyantilles

As hurricane Irma continues his road to Cuba and the United States, the balance sheet is weighed down to St Martin and St Barthelemy. At least 9 people have died, 7 are missing and 112 were injured, including 2 seriously, announced by the minister of the Interior on Friday 7 September.

But the authorities do not cease to repeat that the toll could rise. Because the emergency services have difficulties to reach these two islands ravaged by one of the most powerful hurricanes in history. Hundreds of firefighters, doctors, or nurses on the approximately 1,000 people present to ensure that the rescue could not embark on the boats, because of a sea too stormy. What are the first signs of hurricane Jose which is expected to hit the Caribbean this weekend.

Race against the clock

For the teams dispatched on-site, a race against the clock is engaged. “There are 3 health emergencies to manage : the injured, the chronically ill, and access to safe drinking water “, summary Agnès Buzyn, the minister of Health and Solidarity, on the plateau of LCI on this Friday afternoon, adding that ” the emergency is to the reconstruction of the minimum vital “.

In this chaos, the population of St-Martin can still turn to his hospital, although it is no longer operational. “The roof flew away. We believe that it has been destroyed to the tune of 70 %, ” stressed the minister.

During the first 24 hours, minor injuries were able to be treated there. “In the end of the day, two absolute emergencies arrived at the hospital, one has been taken care of on the spot while the other was transported to the university hospital of Guadeloupe “.
Fifteen patients already hospitalized before the passage of the cyclone have also been repatriated to the university hospital of Pointe-à-Pitre to free beds. The property world is preparing to embrace another.