Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Ronald_Plasterk_2015_(1)
Ronald Plasterk (Photo: Rijksoverheid.nl/Wikimedia Commons) - Credit: Ronald Plasterk (Photo: Rijksoverheid.nl/Wikimedia Commons)
Politics
Nature
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert
Ministry of Defense
Hurricane Irma
Saba
Sint Maarten
Sint Eustatius
aid
National Crisis Center
The Hague
Mark Rutte
Ronad Plasterk
Ministry of Home Affairs
Stef Blok
Ministry of Security and Justice
Bert Koenders
ministry of foreign affairs
Melanie Schultz van Haegen
Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment
emergency aid
Hurricane Jose
hurricane
natural disaster
disaster relief
Thursday, 7 September 2017 - 09:16
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Dutch ministers to discuss aid for Hurricane Irma hit islands in crisis meeting

The Dutch Ministers involved in providing aid to the islands affected by Hurricane Irma on Wednesday, are meeting in the National Crisis Center in The Hague at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. The main purpose of this meeting is to map what aid exactly the islands of Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius need, Minister Ronald Plasterk of Home Affairs and Kingdom relations said to broadcaster NOS.

The Ministers intend to send more supplies and peoples to the islands before the second hurricane, Jose, is expected to hit on Saturday. For that it is essential that the airport on Sint Maarten is opened as quickly as possible, according to Plasterk. Both the airport and the harbor were unreachable on Thursday morning, Lieutenant at sea Egbert Stoel previously said to NOS.

The crisis meeting will be led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte. In addition to Plasterk, Ministers Stef Blok of Security and Justice, Jeanine Hennis Plasschaert of Defense, Bert Koenders of Foreign Affairs and Melanie Schutlz van Haegen of Infrastructure and Environment will also attend.

At this point it is known that Hurricane Irma killed at least 6 people on the French side of Sint Maarten and that there were no casualties on Saba. Whether anyone was killed on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten or on Sint Eustatius is unknown, as little communication is possible with the islands. According to Plaster, the communication comes in "waves" and the government therefore only has a partial picture of what is going on.

According to the commander of naval ship Zr.Ms. Zeeland, who had a helicopter fly over the islands to assess the damage, Sint Maarten sustained "massive material damage". The damage to Saba and Saint Eustatius is less severe.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Rutte: EU leaders close to an agreement on extra €3.5 billion for Ukraine weapons
  • Some cancellations at Eindhoven Airport due to climate protest
  • Police identify woman found dead in forest near Dutch palace; Crime suspected
  • Central bank president lashes out at Dutch Cabinet over deficit levels
  • Dutch MP given suspended jail sentence, community service for unlicensed driving
  • Dutch gov't warns Oranje fans to avoid Paris protests ahead of Euro football match

Top stories

  • Deliveroo couriers are salaried employees, not freelancers, Supreme Court rules
  • 7-year-old girl killed in accident with Utrecht city bus; Boy, 5, seriously hurt
  • Amsterdam public transport to be scaled down from this summer: report
  • Households' disposable income grew 2% last year, despite inflation
  • Most NL residents want to scrap interest on student loans
  • Strike: No international trains to & from Germany on Monday; Some night trains cancelled

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content