"We survived but it was a close call"

Tuesday 12 September 2017

A former Jersey resident, who left the island with his wife and two daughters in October 2016 to move to the BVI, has described how his family survived hurricane Irma thanks to their bathroom door.

Former Elian compliance manager and army reservist, John White was waiting to be evacuated to St Lucia in the east of the Carribbean, with his wife Marta and daughters Amy and Jessica when he spoke to Express on Monday.

Born in Sunderland, Mr White lived in Jersey for 12 years and still calls the island home. He and his family moved to Road Town, the capital of the BVI, in October last year. Like many others, Mr White's family was unable to get in touch with anyone in the aftermath of hurricane Irma as all communications went down. They have since been restored but communication is only available in town while Mr White is staying in the hills in the house of one of his co-workers to whom he owes everything. "Without him and his family we would have nowhere," Mr White said.

Speaking to Express on Monday, Mr White explained the family was waiting to be evacuated to St. Lucia. He commented: "I am pleased to say that we survived Irma, but it was a close call. When Irma hit, my roof blew off as if it was made of paper and all the windows of the house were destroyed. One of our doors blew in and the other was sucked outside and flew off."

Pictured: "My roof blew off as if it was made of paper", said John White.

The father of two described how the family and their puppy found shelter with two neighbours in a small bathroom, the only safe room in the house. He said: "The two children, Amy (8) and Jessica (11) were in the bathtub with their mother Marta. I was bracing the door whilst a neighbor scooped the rising water from the floor down the toilet to keep us from flooding. Had the door not held we would have been dead."

Mr White said he had "no words to describe the power of Irma or the destruction that she left in her wake." He explained that the eye of Irma was so large that for approximatively 40 minutes, it looked like a perfect sunny day. When the tail hit Tortola, things took a turn for the worse. "The island is decimated," he said, adding that looting began almost immediately. Mr White added: "The UK marine arrived on Sunday so hopefully order will be restored soon. The prison was also damaged and we understand that the prisoners are at large."

JT's former managing director, Tim Ringsdore and his wife Shona, who also live in Tortola said they were feeling scared because criminality is becoming a problem on the island. Their daughter Katy said they were "desperately trying to get off" and "trying to stay away from crime."

Pictured: Irma left a trail of debris in its wake.

In the midst of the chaos and debris left in the trail of the hurricane, Mr White is trying to stay positive. "We are just pleased to be alive," he confided. "It is reassuring to the see most of the locals that have lost everything come together and care for each other. Everyone is just pleased for life, although I am certain that lives have been lost."

A Jersey disaster appeal was launched by the Bailiff, Sir William Bailhache on Monday to help the thousands victims of Hurricane Irma who have been left without homes, food, and clean water.