Hurricane Luis-Deaths

9-10-1995
^By ANDREW SELSKY=
^Associated Press Writer=
   PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (AP) _ An American was among the people killed when Hurricane Luis swept through the Caribbean.
   The U.S. State Department confirmed Sunday that an American was killed on St. Maarten, but gave no details. Yachters had reported an American was swept overboard by high seas as he tried to save his yacht Tuesday.
   Firefighters and divers were searching for bodies in the wreckage of shattered homes and sunken yachts.
   Lt. Gov. Dennis Richardson confirmed at least five people have been killed. The hurricane damaged or destroyed 80 percent of St. Maarten's buildings and injured 800 people, 15 seriously, he said.
   The Red Cross had said it could confirm only two deaths but expected the death toll to rise. There have been unconfirmed reports of up to 30 fatalities.
   One person was killed on the French side of the island, St. Martin.
   U.S. Consul General Buddy Williams, who was in St. Maarten, said it was impossible to know how many Americans were missing. He said all records were computerized, and weren't accessible because there was no electricity.
   "The only way we'll find out is when they don't check in with their relatives," he said.
   Among 200 sunken vessels in the bay, divers found the body of a woman of unknown nationality on Saturday, Williams said.
   Luis veered past Bermuda on Saturday night and, losing power but picking up speed, raced toward Canada's eastern islands at 40 mph with winds of 90 mph.
   At 5 p.m. EDT, the hurricane was 435 miles southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Luis was expected to move over southeastern Newfoundland before sunrise Monday.
   Five days after one of the century's most powerful hurricanes bore down on the eastern Caribbean, thousands of islanders remained without electricity, running water and telephone communications.
   Troops from Britain, France, the Netherlands, the United States, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and a string of smaller islands have been sent to help rebuild ravaged islands.
   Among the worst-hit is the two-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. The coral reef that makes up Barbuda was split into six parts by the hurricane winds. The storm killed two people there and damaged 90 percent of homes, the U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs reported. Damage is estimated at $350 million.
   St. Kitts and Nevis reported $197 million in damage to buildings.
   On St. Maarten, Red Cross volunteers put up military tents for 5,000 to 7,000 people left homeless, many of whom have been sleeping in the streets.
   Thousands of tourists continued their exodus from the island, waiting hours in the hot sun outside Princess Juliana airport terminal for flights out.

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