L'ouragan monstre Irma sème la dévastation dans les Caraïbes

Mer déchaînée, toits arrachés, bateaux projetés sur les routes: mercredi l'ouragan Irma a «totalement dévasté» l'île de Barbuda et durement frappé les îles française de Saint-Barthélemy et franco-néerlandaise de Saint-Martin, faisant au moins six morts à Saint-Martin côté français.

Concernant les six morts à Saint-Martin, le préfet de la Guadeloupe, un département d'Outre mer français voisin, a averti que «le bilan n'est pas définitif. Loin de là».

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  A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter accound of RCI Guadeloupe shows a flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / Rinsy XIENG / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe / Rinsy XIENG" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO INTERNET - NO RESALE - IMAGE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 48-HOURS RIGHT TO INFORMATION FROM WEDNESDAY 6TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 8PM GMT /
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  A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter accound of RCI Guadeloupe shows a flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / Rinsy XIENG / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe / Rinsy XIENG" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO INTERNET - NO RESALE - IMAGE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 48-HOURS RIGHT TO INFORMATION FROM WEDNESDAY 6TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 8PM GMT /
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  A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter accound of RCI Guadeloupe shows a flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / Rinsy XIENG / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe / Rinsy XIENG" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO INTERNET - NO RESALE - IMAGE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 48-HOUR RIGHT TO INFORMATION FROM WEDNESDAY 6TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 8PM GMT /
• AFP

  A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter accound of RCI Guadeloupe shows a flooded street on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / Rinsy XIENG / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe / Rinsy XIENG" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO INTERNET - NO RESALE - IMAGE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 48-HOUR RIGHT TO INFORMATION FROM WEDNESDAY 6TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 8PM GMT /
• AFP

  A handout picture released on September 6, 2017 on the twitter account of RCI Guadeloupe shows damage on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, after high winds from Hurricane Irma hit the island. Monster Hurricane Irma slammed into Caribbean islands today after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / Rinsy XIENG / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / RCI Guadeloupe / Rinsy XIENG" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO INTERNET - NO RESALE - IMAGE AVAILABLE AS PART OF A 48-HOUR RIGHT TO INFORMATION FROM WEDNESDAY 6TH OF SEPTEMBER 2017 8PM GMT /
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  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
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  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People wait in line to purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
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  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: Pedro Toledo purchases plywood at The Home Depot as he prepares for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
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  This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Irma at 1200 UTC on September 6, 2017. Irma slammed into the French Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
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  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: Luis Lorenzo and Jairo Ruiz (L-R) purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People wait in line to purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: People wait in line to purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 06: Luis Lorenzo and Jairo Ruiz (L-R) purchase plywood at The Home Depot as they prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017 in Miami, Florida. It's still too early to know where the direct impact of the hurricane will take place but the state of Florida is in the area of possible landfall. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
• AFP

  This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Hurricane Irma at 1200 UTC on September 6, 2017. Irma slammed into the French Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
• AFP

  This satellite image obtained from NASA's GOES Project shows Hurricane Irma (C) at 1145 UTC on September 6, 2017, followed by Tropical Storm Jose (R). Irma slammed into the French Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / NASA/GOES Project / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NASA/GOES Project" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
• AFP

  This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Huricane Irma at 1145 UTC on September 6, 2017. Irma slammed into the French Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB / HO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
• AFP

  This satellite image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Huricane Irma at 1130 UTC on September 6, 2017. Irma slammed into the French Caribbean islands on Wednesday after making landfall in Barbuda, packing ferocious winds and causing major flooding in low-lying areas. As the rare Category Five storm barreled its way across the Caribbean, it brought gusting winds of up to 185 miles per hour (294 kilometers per hour), weather experts said. / AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB / Jose ROMERO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
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  This image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017, at 1215UTC. Irma picked up strength and has become an "extremely dangerous" Category Five hurricane as it approached the Caribbean, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center reported. Irma is about 270 miles (440kms) east of the island of Antigua packing maximum sustained winds of 175mph (280kph). / AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB / Jose ROMERO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NOAA/RAMMB" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

«Nous risquons malheureusement de faire d'autres découvertes», a précisé Eric Maire aux journalistes, soulignant qu'«on estime peut-être à 60%, 70% les habitations détruites à Saint-Martin».

Plus pessimiste, Daniel Gibbs, président du conseil territorial français de Saint-Martin, a estimé que «95% de l'île est détruite». «Si on a un autre cyclone qui nous tombe dessus samedi, (...) ce n'est pas le nombre de morts qu'on va compter, c'est les vivants», a-t-il ajouté.

Le précédent bilan côté français était d'«au moins deux morts». Le président français Emmanuel Macron a prévenu qu'il fallait s'attendre à «un bilan dur et cruel» et à des «dégâts matériels considérables».

Le bilan pourrait être d'autant plus dramatique sur Saint-Martin et Saint-Barthélemy qu'environ 7000 personnes avaient refusé de se mettre «à l'abri» selon la ministre française des Outre-Mer, Annick Girardin.

«Les dégâts sont énormes, à tel point que nous n'arrivons pas encore à les mesurer», a commenté de son côté le ministre néerlandais de l'Intérieur Ronald Plasterk, ignorant «s'il y a des blessés ou des morts». Le port et l'aéroport du côté néerlandais de l'île de Saint-Martin ont gravement été touchés par la catastrophe, selon l'agence de presse néerlandaise.

Coupée du monde pendant de longues heures par Irma, qui a contraint l'avion transportant le pape François en Colombie à modifier son plan de vol, l'île de Barbuda a elle été «totalement dévastée» par les rafales, selon le premier ministre d'Antigua-et-Barbuda, Gaston Browne, même si pour l'instant un seul mort a été recensé.

L'île, qui compte environ 1600 habitants, «n'est plus qu'un tas de décombres», a-t-il insisté.

Irma, ouragan de catégorie 5, devrait maintenant frapper les îles Vierges et longer la côte nord de Porto Rico «au cours des prochaines heures», selon le National hurricane center (NHC) américain, avant de progresser vers la République dominicaine, Cuba, puis la Floride, selon les prévisions.

Sur les réseaux sociaux, des photos et vidéos dévoilent l'ampleur des dégâts sur les deux îles, où l'électricité et les télécommunications sont coupées: bateaux transformés en petits bois dans un port, arbres étêtés par des rafales de vent, toitures envolées, voitures immergées dans les rues.

Un journaliste de la radio RCI international, présent à Saint-Martin, a de son côté évoqué la présence de jeunes gens «en train de piller le centre-ville».

Irma «est d'ores et déjà un ouragan historique» et «d'une intensité sans précédent sur l'Atlantique», selon Météo-France. Il est plus puissant qu'Harvey, qui a récemment frappé le Texas et la Louisiane, y faisant au moins 42 morts.

Sur sa route, il passera au cours de la nuit «au nord de Porto Rico», touché par d'intenses pluies et où on comptabilise déjà plus de 700 réfugiés. Le système électrique a cessé de fonctionner par endroits.

Le président américain Donald Trump, qui possède une villa à Saint-Martin, a placé les îles Vierges américaines, Porto Rico et la Floride en état d'alerte.

À Cuba, où Irma est attendu «dans les 48 à 72 heures» selon l'état-major de la Défense civile, l'état d'alerte a été déclaré dans les provinces orientales.

À Haïti, les habitants de Cap-Haïtien semblaient apprendre l'arrivée de l'ouragan au gré des conversations.

«C'est grâce au bouche-à-oreille qu'on apprend toujours les choses. Nous sommes en bord de mer mais aucune autorité n'est venue nous dire quoi que ce soit», enrageait Josué Rosse, après avoir creusé un tronc d'arbre pour s'en faire une barque.

Le sud de la Floride, lui, se préparait. L'évacuation des Keys, chapelet d'îles dans l'extrême sud de l'État, a été ordonnée.

À Miami, de longues files d'attente se sont formées devant les stations-services et les habitants se ruaient dans les supermarchés. Les autorités ont prévenu que les commerçants qui augmenteraient les prix pour profiter de la pénurie seraient poursuivis.

Dans les îles Vierges britanniques, bien décidé à ne pas quitter son île privée de Necker Island, le milliardaire Richard Branson a prévu de se réfugier dans sa cave à vin. «J'imagine qu'il y aura un peu moins de vin dans le cellier quand nous en ressortirons», a plaisanté le Britannique sur Twitter.

D'autant qu'Irma pourrait bien être suivi par Jose: cette tempête tropicale actuellement au milieu de l'Atlantique a été reclassifiée en ouragan par le NHC, tout comme la tempête Katia. Jose devrait s'approcher de la catégorie 3 vendredi.

De l'autre côté du Golfe du Mexique, à 300 km au nord-est de la ville mexicaine de Veracruz, se trouve le désormais ouragan Katia avec des vents de 120 km/h qui devraient eux aussi se renforcer dans les prochaines 48 heures.

«Katia pourrait toucher l'État de Veracruz vendredi soir», et impacter près d'un million de personnes, selon le gouvernement de cet État du Mexique.