Hurricane Irma's death toll at least 14

Hurricane Irma has now killed 14 people as it grazed the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday and is now headed for Florida.

With winds of around 185 miles per hour, the storm the size of  France has ravaged small islands in the northeast Caribbean in recent days, including Barbuda, Saint Martin as well as the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, flattening homes and hospitals.

Winds dipped on Thursday to 175 miles per hour as Irma soaked the northern coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti and brought hurricane-force wind to the Turks and Caicos Islands. It remained an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm, the highest designation by the US National Hurricane Center.

It brought storm surges to the Bahamas late Thursday and is expected to plough into southern Florida as a very powerful Category 4 on Sunday, with storm surges and flooding due to begin within the next 48 hours.

Irma's passage might not be the end of hurricane related worries for the people of some islands in the region, as they are now preparing for another major hurricane, Jose, currently a Category 3 and due to affect the northeastern Caribbean on Saturday.

This was the first time the Turks and Caicos islands had experienced a Category 5 storm.

A Reuters witness described the roof and walls of a well-built house shaking hard as the screaming storm rocked the island of  Providenciales and caused a drop in pressure that could be felt in people’s chests.

British response

In the meantime, the British Government which has been accused of  failing to respond speedily to the devastation in Anguilla has announced an extra 32 million pounds in aid.

It will also send hundreds of  marines and royal engineers, as well as a vessel currently deployed in the Mediterranean. It will take 10 to 14 days to reach the area.

One person died in the British overseas territory during the passage of  Irma.

Police stations, hospitals, schools, several emergency shelters, a home for the infirm and the aged, as well as the fire station along with many homes have been damaged or destroyed.