Las lluvias torrenciales de María golpean Guadalupe y dejan aislada del mundo a Dominica

Las lluvias torrenciales de María golpean Guadalupe y dejan aislada del mundo a Dominica

A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados
La isla Guadalupe azotada por fuertes lluvias  / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados

 

Los fuertes vientos y las lluvias torrenciales del huracán María, “potencialmente catastrófico”, golpeaban el martes el archipiélago francés de Guadalupe, tras haber causado estragos en Dominica, aislada del mundo.

La región, devastada hace unos diez días por el huracán Irma, está en estado de alerta por el paso de María.





El huracán oscila entre las categorías 4 y 5, el nivel máximo, sigue siendo “extremadamente peligroso”, según el Centro Nacional de Huracanes (NHC) estadounidense.

“Todo tiembla en torno a mí”, contó a la cadena BFMTV el exministro francés de Ultramar Victorin Lurel, confinado en su casa del sur de Guadalupe, desde donde describió “lluvias torrenciales y claramente infernales, con un viento que no cesa desde hace varias horas largas, […] con relámpagos por todas partes”.

Por su parte, Raïssa, de 23 años, refugiada en Guadalupe junto a su familia después de que su vivienda, en la isla de San Martín, quedara destruida, se declaraba “nerviosa” ante la llegada de un nuevo huracán, pese a estar mejor preparada. “Hemos almacenado agua, alimentos, hemos preparado ya nuestras maletas por si tuviéramos que irnos”, indicó.

– Puerto Rico, amenazado –

En su último parte de las 06H00 GMT, luego de azotar Dominica, el NHC consignó que María se mueve hacia el oeste noroeste a unos 15 km/h, un movimiento que se espera continúe hasta el miércoles.

“En la trayectoria pronosticada, el ojo de María se moverá hacia el noreste del Mar Caribe hoy, y aproximándose a las Islas Vírgenes y Puerto Rico esta noche y el miércoles”, indica el NHC.

Antes de Dominica, el ojo del ciclón pasó a unos 50 km de la costa norte de Martinica y privó de electricidad a unos 33.000 hogares, pero no causó daños significativos, según la prefectura.

Los habitantes de Dominica perdieron “todo lo que el dinero puede comprar y reemplazar”, afirmó el martes Roosevelt Skerrit, primer ministro de esta isla del Caribe.

El viento, que soplaba a unos 260 km/h, “arrasó los techos de la vivienda de casi todas las personas con las que hablé o contacté de otra manera”, agregó.

Sin embargo, todavía no se habían detectado víctimas en esta india independiente, de unos 70.000 habitantes, según él.

Las comunicaciones con Dominica estaban totalmente cortadas, según un corresponsal de la AFP en Antigua, que destacó que “es la primera vez que un huracán tan violento” atraviesa Dominica.

Francia enviará un helicóptero para efectuar “un reconocimiento aéreo” sobre esa isla y, “si el Gobierno de Dominica lo pide”, se podrán enviar bomberos a la isla, indicó el director general de la Seguridad Civil gala, Jacques Witkowski.

María también debería pasar al sur de las costas de San Martín y San Bartolomé, devastadas por Irma el 6 de septiembre, según el ministerio holandés de Defensa. Ambas islas están en alerta roja, según Météo France, la agencia meteorológica francesa.

Irma dejó alrededor de 40 muertos en el Caribe antes de golpear Florida, donde murieron al menos 50 personas.

– Refuerzos –

Los gobiernos de Francia, Reino Unido y Holanda, criticados por no haber desplegado más medios antes y después del paso de Irma, se han movilizado.

Francia anunció el envío de 110 militares a Guadalupe y recordó que “unos 3.000” refuerzos ya están en la isla. Pero el ministro de Interior, Gérard Collomb, reconoció que tendrían “dificultades importantes” si el huracán se abate con fuerza ya que Guadalupe es “el centro logístico” que permite alimentar San Martín y organizar las rotaciones aéreas.

Tras el paso de Irma, el caos se apoderó de varias islas donde se registraron numerosos saqueos ante la respuesta tardía de las autoridades.

AFP

A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados /
A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados /
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the Twitter account of Yves Thole shows powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering a street of Pointe-a-Pitre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / Yves THOLE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / YVES THOLE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the Twitter account of Yves Thole shows powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering a street of Pointe-a-Pitre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / Yves THOLE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / YVES THOLE” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados
A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados
A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados /
A picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows the powerful winds and rains of hurricane Maria battering the city of Petit-Bourg on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Cedrik-Isham Calvados /
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the twitter account of the Prefecture de Guadeloupe shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the south of Basse Terre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Prefecture de Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / STRINGER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / PREFECTURE DE GUADELOUPE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the twitter account of the Prefecture de Guadeloupe shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the south of Basse Terre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Prefecture de Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / STRINGER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / PREFECTURE DE GUADELOUPE” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the twitter account of the Prefecture de Guadeloupe shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the south of Basse Terre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Prefecture de Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / STRINGER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / PREFECTURE DE GUADELOUPE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the twitter account of the Prefecture de Guadeloupe shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the south of Basse Terre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / Prefecture de Guadeloupe AND TWITTER / STRINGER / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / PREFECTURE DE GUADELOUPE” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture released on September 19, 2017, on the Instagram account of "loly_fwi" shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the Faidherbe boulevard along the City House (L) of Pointe-a-Pitre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / INSTAGRAM / loly_fwi / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / INSTAGRAM/loly_fwi " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture released on September 19, 2017, on the Instagram account of “loly_fwi” shows the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battering the Faidherbe boulevard along the City House (L) of Pointe-a-Pitre on the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / INSTAGRAM / loly_fwi / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / INSTAGRAM/loly_fwi ” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the Twitter account of Yves Thole shows a flooded street in Pointe-a-Pitre after the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battered the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Hurricane Maria strengthened into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / Yves THOLE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / YVES THOLE" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
This handout picture obtained from a video released on September 19, 2017, on the Twitter account of Yves Thole shows a flooded street in Pointe-a-Pitre after the powerful winds and rain of hurricane Maria battered the French overseas Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.
Hurricane Maria strengthened into a “potentially catastrophic” Category Five storm as it barrelled into eastern Caribbean islands still reeling from Irma, forcing residents to evacuate in powerful winds and lashing rain. / AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / Yves THOLE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / TWITTER / YVES THOLE” – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
A car passes next to a banner warning of a "Red Alert" for rains as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
A car passes next to a banner warning of a “Red Alert” for rains as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
Boats remain anchored in a wharf as Hurricane Maria approaches in Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
Boats remain anchored in a wharf as Hurricane Maria approaches in Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
People sit on the side of an empty street as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
People sit on the side of an empty street as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
A woman crosses a street as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
A woman crosses a street as Hurricane Maria approaches in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe island, France, September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares
People board up windows of a business in preparation for the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 18, 2017. Hurricane Maria has grown into a maximum-strength Category Five storm, US forecasters said Monday, as it was bearing down on the Caribbean island of Dominica. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO
People board up windows of a business in preparation for the anticipated arrival of Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 18, 2017.
Hurricane Maria has grown into a maximum-strength Category Five storm, US forecasters said Monday, as it was bearing down on the Caribbean island of Dominica. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO