Avoid Travel, US, Canada & UK Says Of These Caribbean Islands

A man checks his cell phone next to a road at night in one of a few places with cell signal in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on September 25, 2017, where a 7pm-6am curfew has been imposed following impact of Hurricane Maria on the island. (Photo credit: RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images)

By NAN Travel Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Sept. 29, 2017: The US, UK and Canadian governments are advising all of their nationals to avoid travel to 11 Caribbean islands in the post Hurricanes Irma and Maria era.

Canada’s Government

The Canadian government is warning nationals to avoid travel to 7 Caribbean nations right now. They are:

1: Anguilla

2: The British Virgin Islands

3: Dominica

4: Puerto Rico

5: US Virgin Islands

6: Saint Martin

7: Saint Barts.

US Government

The US Government is urging nationals to carefully consider the risks of travel to Cuba while Hurricane Irma and Maria recovery efforts are underway and to Haiti due to its current security environment and lack of adequate medical facilities and response.

UK Government

Meanwhile, the UK government this week updated its travel advisories on two of its own territories in the Caribbean and is now advising its nationals against all travel there.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (FCO), updated its travel advisory on September 26th to urge all British citizens to avoid “all but essential travel” to the British Virgin Islands as well as Grand Turks in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Both islands were hit by Hurricane Irma and days later, by Hurricane Maria.

The UK government is pitching in to help with relief efforts on the islands but said in a statement this week that Hurricane Maria added to the extensive damage already caused by Hurricane Irma on the islands.

The UK government said there is widespread damage to infrastructure with a large proportion of homes and buildings very badly damaged in the BVI while access to medical supplies, food and water are extremely limited and power supplies have been affected.

They also said while the security situation remains stable, there are minor reports of looting.

The FCO is also advising against all but essential travel to the island of Grand Turk which was severely impacted by the passage of Hurricane Irma on Thursday 7th September and Hurricane Maria on September 22nd. The British government statement said Grand Turk has seen significant damage to infrastructure and communications with many homes and buildings damaged. The island also remains without mains power and with limited telephone services.