Death toll rises as Ivan tears through Grenada
At least nine people were killed and incalculable damage done to Grenada today as Hurricane Ivan caused concrete homes to collapse into rubble and hurled landmark red zinc roofs through the air.
“We are terribly devastated here in Grenada,” Prime Minister Keith Mitchell said. “It’s beyond any imagination.”
The most powerful storm to hit the Caribbean in 14 years destroyed numerous buildings in Grenada’s capital, St George’s, and also damaged homes in Barbados, St Lucia and St Vincent.
Thousands were without water, electricity and telephone service, just days after Hurricane Frances rampaged through.
Mitchell said he feared the death toll would rise.
“If you see the country today, it would be a surprise to anyone that we did not have more deaths than it appears at the moment,” he said. “So it is extremely tough on us.”
Mitchell, whose own home was destroyed, spoke from aboard the British naval patrol vessel HMS Richmond.
“I don’t think anyone expected the kind of damage that they saw,” he said.
There were reports of sporadic looting in St George’s, a Royal Navy spokesman said, speaking from London.
HMS Richmond and a British supply ship were providing disaster relief to the former colony, he said.
