Humanitarian volunteers who yesterday landed in the island of St Martin, a small island south of Anguilla, described the scene as a ‘living hell’, according to Islander Christelle Mangematin, who has helped launch the appeal.
The 38-year-old estate manager for Ports of Jersey rallied her colleagues after receiving a call from a friend who has gone with a team of volunteers to St Martin to help out. Her friend lives in the neighbouring island of Guadeloupe.
Mrs Mangematin said: ‘He described the area as like a living hell and says he needs everything. They urgently need drinking water.
‘My friend asked if I could help get supplies. Jersey is an island; St Martin is an island. From island to island I thought there was something we could do.’
Meanwhile, former Jersey residents in the devastated British Virgin Islands are starting a huge clear-up operation as a state of emergency is declared in the wake of the hurricane.
Large parts of the British overseas territory have been destroyed after being battered by 185-mph winds on Wednesday night.
It is understood that a number of people have been killed.
And the islands were this weekend expected to receive a glancing blow from Jose – a smaller hurricane with sustained wind speeds of more than 120 mph.
Former Islanders Tim and Shona Ringsdore, who are living with friends in Tortola, the most-populated of the BVIs, were yesterday starting to clear away debris inside their badly damaged property.
But they were unable to leave the house, as doors were blocked by a fallen tree.
Yesterday their daughter Katy, who spoke to her parents on the phone on Thursday night, said: ‘They are currently starting the massive clear-up but the problem is they are stuck in their house as a massive tree/structure has fallen and blocked them in, so they can’t get out at all at the moment.
‘The roof and entire first floor of the house is destroyed. They are really nervous about Jose, which is due to hit tomorrow.’
Jersey-based firms including Ogier, Collas Crill, Mourant Ozannes and Carey Olsen have confirmed that their BVI offices are closed.
A collection point for the Ports of Jersey staff appeal is due to be set up at the engineering depot at the Airport Cargo Centre, Rue de la Commune, St Peter, on Monday and Tuesday between 8 am and 3 pm.
Staff behind the project are asking for the following items; water purification tablets; tinned food (fish, vegetables, meat); rope; duct tape; plastic sheeting or tarpaulin; nails; hammers; wood saws; candles; metal cooking pots and containers; tin openers; first-aid kits.
The supplies are then due to be transported to Guadeloupe before being taken to the affected regions.
Elsewhere, Tony Moretta, chief executive of Digital Jersey, said he had been in contact with telecommunication firms Sure and JT to see how the industry could help.
‘They are both looking to see what they can offer in terms of providing communication help immediately but also once things have calmed down what they can do in terms of rebuilding telecoms networks.’
