Five years after Hurricane Irma, here’s what people in British Virgin Islands say about recovery

Before heading to Florida, Hurricane Irma hit the British Virgin Islands on Sept. 6, 2017. The hurricane was forecast to miss the islands, but then moved to hit them. There was no time to for evacuations.

“Luckily, it hit during the daytime,” said Betitto Frett, who owns properties in Soper’s Hole, West End. “If it hit at night, there would have been... more casualties.”

Five years later, people are still recovering. Most supplies for rebuilding have to be brought in to the islands. Shipments take a long time to reach the islands, according to residents.

Leana Simon, 34, recalls moving her family to the United States for months after the storm because she was pregnant with her second child, Renaissance, who is now 5. She moved to Boston to have Renaissance. Her other daughter, then 7, lived with cousins in Florida. She said she had to leave because grocery stores back home didn’t have food, and running water and power in her house would take months to fix.

“I think I got power back into my house of March the following year,” Simon said.

Around the main island of Tortola five years later, abandoned vehicles and sunken yachts still mar the landscape. “Some people claimed on the insurance and left them,” Simon said.

Others were not able to file claims and left the boats. The wreckage was left to the residents.

Four people were killed by the Category 5 storm in the British Virgin Islands, according to the government’s official death toll.