France Link

Hurricane Maria leaves one dead, two missing in Guadeloupe

One person was killed by a falling tree, while two more were reported missing after boat sank off an island in the French territory’s archipelago.

La rédaction de Mediapart

This article is freely available.

At least one person was killed as Hurricane Maria battered Guadeloupe, officials said on Tuesday (Sept 19), in the first confirmed casualty from the huge storm sweeping the eastern Caribbean, reports The Straits Times.

The person was killed by a falling tree, the local administration said, while two more were reported missing after their ship sank off Desirade, the easternmost island in the French territory’s archipelago.

The dead person « did not respect orders to stay inside », authorities said in a statement, adding that « several floods have been signalled » around Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe’s largest city.

Coastal areas around the capital Basse-Terre have also been « submerged ».

Read more of this AFP report published by The Straits Times.