Two Canadian passenger carriers say they have launched evacuation operations to get travellers out of the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irma. The Montreal-based airline Air Transat says it is sending 10 aircraft to the Dominican Republic — seven to Punta Cana, two to Puerto Plata and one to Samana. Hurricane Irma, considered the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history, made landfall in the northeast Caribbean overnight. The storm is currently following a path predicted to then rake Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba before possibly heading for Florida. Members of the country's civil defence force prepare their gear ahead of Hurricane Irma, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Source: CBC News September 06, 2017 05:40 UTC