Hurricane Irma: Category 5 storm heading straight for Trump's $28m mansion on Caribbean island of St Martin

Several of the President's properties in the Caribbean and Florida could sustain damage in the storm

Samuel Osborne
Wednesday 06 September 2017 08:13 BST
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Satellite imagery shows Hurricane Irma make landfall

Donald Trump's multi-million dollar mansion on the Caribbean island of St Martin is directly in the path of Hurricane Irma.

The Category 5 storm is heading straight for Mr Trump's five-acre estate known as "Le Chateau des Palmiers" or "Castle of the Palms," the Miami Herald reports.

The US President owns the 11-bedroom gated mansion through a trust set up to avoid conflicts of interest during his presidency.

US President owns 11-bedroom gated mansion through trust set up to avoid conflicts of interest during his presidency (St Martin Sotheby’s International Realty)

The trust has been attempting to sell the property since March, when it was listed at $28m (£21.5m).

In financial disclosure forms, Mr Trump said he rents the mansion out, putting its value between $25m (£19.2m) and $50m (£38.4m).

Its listing price was recently cut to $16.9m (£13m), The Washington Post reported.

Several of Mr Trump's properties in the Caribbean and Florida could sustain damage in the storm.

Satellite imagery shows Hurricane Irma make landfall

Hurricane Irma made its first landfall in the islands of the northeast Caribbean, passing over Barbuda around 1.47am.

Heavy rain and howling winds raked the neighbouring island of Antigua, sending debris flying as people huddled in their homes or government shelters.

Officials earlier warned people to seek protection from Irma's "onslaught" in a statement that closed with: "May God protect us all."

The Category five storm had maximum sustained winds of 185mph (295kmh), according to the US National Hurricane Centre.

Its forecast was for the winds to fluctuate slightly but for the storm to remain at Category four or five strength for the next day or two.

The most dangerous winds, usually nearest to the eye, were forecast to pass near the northern Virgin Islands and near or just north of Puerto Rico through the day on Wednesday.

Mr Trump has declared emergencies in Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, and authorities in the Bahamas said they would evacuate six southern islands.

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