Tears as Hurricane survivors return

There were emotional scenes at Piarco International Airport last night as Trinis who survived Category 5 Hurricane Irma when it slammed into St Martin last week, returned home aboard a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight.

Among those grateful to be back on Trinidad soil were a group of teachers who were on contract to teach at schools in St Martin which was almost obliterated by the monster storm. Another group, mainly comprising people of the Muslim faith said they were in St Martin doing charitable work when the storm hit.

Some of those arriving said the storm was a terrifying experience that they did not know if they would survive.

A teacher who did not give her name, said that the hotel she was in when the storm struck was completely destroyed - except for the room she was in. The Trinis were evacuated to Antigua and from there, arrangements were made for their return home last night.

Hurricane Irma claimed the lives of over 40 people when it slammed into several Caribbean islands before making a beeline for the southern United States, hitting Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Over 15 deaths were attributed to Irma in the US.