Hurricane Irma rips through Caribbean, destroys Barbuda, Saint Martin

At least 9 people died as powerful Hurricane Irma ripped through the Caribbean turning the tropical island into a mountain of debris.

The officials said the Hurricane was as devastating as it almost destroyed island of Saint Martin and left Barbuda barely habitable.

A highest possible category five Hurricane Irma is currently in north-east of the Dominican Republic and moving towards Turks and Caicos.

With a wind speed of 285km/h (180mph), Irma is the most powerful storm in a decade.

Irma first struck the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda and the Prime Minister Gaston Browne said 95% of the buildings had some damage.

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"It's absolute devastation, Prime Minister Gaston Browne told BBC.

"The island is literally under water. In fact, I'm of the view that, as it stands now, Barbuda is barely habitable," he said.

 “It’s an enormous catastrophe. Ninety-five percent of the island is destroyed,” top local official Daniel Gibbs said in a radio interview.

“I’m in shock. It’s frightening.”

Guadeloupe prefect Eric Maire called the situation in St Martin “dramatic,” saying the island—which is divided between the Netherlands and France—was without drinking water or electricity, and warning the death toll was almost certain to rise.