'Military Have Played Remarkable Role Since Irma'

In the wake of hurricane Maria, the British troops stationed in the carrabian have been hard at work, helping locals to rebuild their lives, and their homes.

“In the 24 years I’ve been in the Royal marines, nothing compares with this. Of all the disaster relief operations I’ve been on, this stands alone.

Its absolute devastation on a scale that you couldn’t compare with anything else”.

Lance Corporal Michael Sampey spoke of the work the marines are doing to repair the island:

“There’s a lady who’s had to move out of her house because there’s no roof on it. We’re trying to get the roof up, so she can move back on again”.

Whilst Marine Jordan Harding told us how unusual the work itself was for the troops:

“It’s completely different to what we normally train for. Its brilliant how much the locals appreciate us being out here. We’re glad to be here.”

With HMS Ocean’s arrival last week, the number of military personnel in the region has increased to 200- currently the largest deployment of British Servicemen and Women.

Supplies are still arriving from RFA Mounts Bay, by air and by Sea, and surveys of the ground allow engineers to plan the best way forward.

The RAF have so far moved over 750 tonnes of relief materials 1300 people in a bid to aid those affected by the catastrophic storm. 

However, it will take years for the Islands to recover from the unprecedented damage.

Hurricane-battered British overseas territories look "apocalyptic" and like "something out of a horror movie", the International Development Secretary has said.

Priti Patel was on a whistle-stop tour of the Caribbean as she announced a £5 million pledge of UK aid to help Dominica, an island which was ravaged by Hurricane Maria earlier this week.

On Sunday she visited the British Virgin Island of Jost Van Dyke and then Anguilla to survey the level of devastation caused when they were pummelled by Hurricane Irma.

"The scene is like something out of a horror movie, very apocalyptic," she said when describing her first impressions of some of the damage.

"And when you look at the landscape as well, we have seen decimation of all green vegetation, everything has gone. It is very stark."

She began the trip, which Ms Patel said she was "adamant" to undertake, with a visit to HMS Ocean, Britain's biggest in service warship that was recently re-tasked to help with aid efforts.

The helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ship arrived in the region on Friday packed with 60 tonnes of UK aid - almost doubling the amount in the region.

After inspecting the cargo of shelter kits, tools, vehicles, building materials and buckets packed into the hangar, she toured the rest of the ship with the captain, Robert Pedre.

Ms Patel then took a helicopter over to the British Virgin Island of Jost Van Dyke, and after speaking with those affected told a gathered crowd that

"we are so with you".

Climbing back on board the Merlin MK 3, Ms Patel stood at the open door of the helicopter to get a better view of the vast carnage on Tortola below.

Speaking to the Press Association, she said being able to do that was a "real privilege".

"The scale of what has happened is just extraordinary and unprecedented," Ms Patel said of what she saw.

"I have to say I feel I have used that term a lot this year because every crisis I go to is unprecedented. But certainly, for the Caribbean region, that absolutely applies."

There are more than 2,000 UK military personnel currently working on the relief effort in the Caribbean, making it the largest deployment of UK personnel anywhere in the world.

Delivering aid to those in need, helping to clear debris and fix buildings, water and power supplies across the affected overseas territories, Ms Patel said the military have played a "remarkable role" since Irma.

She said: "Irrespective of what people are saying about aid and all the rest of it, quite frankly in times of crisis British aid is there for British citizens, that is effectively what we have been doing here.

"Our overseas territories are British territories with British citizens and that is why we have this incredible operation, including the MoD, DfID and the Foreign Office, making sure we can help these countries pick themselves up and stand on their own two feet again."

The £5 million pledge brings the British government's financial support for islands hit by Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma to £62 million.

The Government is also doubling any UK public donations made to the British Red Cross' Irma and Maria appeals, a pledge which has so far raised more than £2 million.

Pressed on how the Government intends to help affected overseas territories "build back better", Ms Patel said she will make sure her department "leans in very heavily".

"I have been using the language of 'build back better' long before some others have," she said.

"I have been very clear about building for resilience, building for the long term, but ensuring we work with the governments - this isn't an external plan or approach which can be parachuted in.

"This has to be bottom up, it has to be led by the governments and the governors, and the politicians in country.

"They are the ones that have to develop their plan, we will work with them to almost build back better, to catalyse it and make sure it is - that we are testing and questioning, is it looking to the future enough? Is it resilient enough? Asking those questions and seeing what more we need to do in terms of adding value.

"Building back better is a long-term project, it does not happen overnight and I am not going to kid anyone and say, 'it will all happen very quickly and it will all be wonderful and back to normal'.

"That is not how it is going to work, and so managing expectations will be crucial to that."