British holidaymakers in Florida and the Caribbean have criticised the Foreign Office for its handling of warnings as Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic storm on record, approaches. The hurricane, with winds of up to 185 mph, has triggered evacuation orders and states of emergency across the region.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office urged Britons to follow local advice and evacuation orders, but some tourists claimed the guidance was too vague and issued too late. Flights from the UK have been disrupted, with British Airways sending an empty plane to Antigua to repatriate 326 passengers.
Puerto Rico and Florida have declared states of emergency. Puerto Rico's governor warned that decisions in the coming hours could be a matter of life and death. In Florida, officials prepared evacuation orders for South Florida, with long queues at shops and petrol stations.
Forecasters said the storm could be worse than Hurricane Harvey, which devastated parts of Texas. The UK government has faced backlash for not providing more specific advice to British nationals in the affected areas.
