PHILIPSBURG – St Maarten’s world famous airport, where planes fly just above tourists’ heads, has been devastated by Hurricane Irma.

Terrifying footage shows the moment the 185mph storm ripped through Princess Juliana International Airport, destroying safety fences and battering nearby Maho beach.

Sand was flung onto the runway and huge rocks smashed into planes as the storm swept over the tiny Caribbean island today.

The full devastation was revealed after the storm passed, with photos revealing the check-in lounge had been flooded and walkways completely destroyed.

Huge chunks of the building had also been strewn across the runway and a jet bridge snapped in half.

Hurricane Irma slammed into the French-Dutch island early this morning leaving a trail of devastation as homes, hotels and government buildings were reduced to rubble.

Mass evacuations immediately got underway as aid agencies braced themselves for a “major humanitarian response”.

So far, there has been no reported loss of life.

Usually offering a paradise getaway for sun-seeking tourists, footage from the island shows flooded roads and broken structures.

Holidaymakers have barricaded themselves into hotels and villas as powerful winds continue to batter the already shattered island.

Bron: CuracaoChronicle