By the Caribbean Journal staff

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson flew to Barbados on Tuesday to begin a journey through the British territories devastated by Hurricane Irma.

Johnson flew immediately on a military flight to hard-hit Anguilla, and plans to visit the British Virgin Islands on Wednesday.

The United Kingdom has launched a major relief effort in the Caribbean, with more than 990 troops and 50 police officers deployed to support the islands and distribute aid.

“We [the UK] don’t underestimate the scale of the tragedy, the scale of suffering that people have endured over the last few days,” Johnson said. “But I think from talking to the Governors of these islands, what is really coming through to me, is the resilience of local communities and the way they are pulling together and the way they are determined to rebuild their lives, and we’re here to help.”