Alberta man weathers Hurricane Irma in St. Thomas, prepares for Jose

An Alberta man in the U.S. Virgin Islands spent Saturday picking up the debris scattered by Hurricane Irma and screwing it onto a battered house, in which he plans to seek refuge when Hurricane Jose passes by onSunday.

"I think there's a lot of people who are just terrified right now and a lot of people who have nothing left," Eben Stolz, who lives in Beaumont, just south of Edmonton, told CBC News from St. Thomas ina telephone interview.

• Hurricane Irma batters the Caribbean

Stolz was visiting friends on the island. He used to live just offshore with his wifeand two young daughters until a few months ago.

He'sbeen through hurricanes before, but said none of them held a candle to Irma, the most powerful Atlantic storm on record.

Irma knocked out the cellphone towers. Stolzclimbed to the top of a hill on northeast of the island, where he was able to use a GarmininReachdevice to get service through a satellite system. He communicated with CBC Newsand his family in Alberta on Saturday night before hunkering down to wait out the slightly smaller Hurricane Jose.

He said normally his view from the hillis shrouded by a tree canopy, but with branches and leaves littering the ground, it's now one of destruction.

The eye of the storm

Stolz, his fivefriendsand their two children spent the first part of last week preparing for Irma.

When the storm touched down onWednesday morning, they were waiting for it on the lowest level of ahouse that had beendivided into three apartments.

The winds picked up around 8 a.m.Stolz said at first, they watched from theone unshuttereddoor as 20- foot (six-metre) waves crashed against the rocks of a usually calm bay, causing a landslide.

At about 2 p.m., the eye of the storm passed and the winds switched direction, ripping the tin roof off a nearby house, sending it flying past them, he said.

They locked up and huddled together ina windowless room in the middle of house, Stolzsaid. The ceiling was concrete, but within an hourit was leaking.

Soaking wet,they scrambled to find buckets and pots and pans to catch the water, he said.They ended up ripping the tiles off the floor to allow it to run into the cisterns in the basements.

Stolz said the windscreated a pressure vacuum and their ears were popping every 30 seconds.

"It was like you were flying in a plane doing crazy ascents and descents," Stolz said.

He had his shoes on and could feel the concrete floor vibrating through them. He said he was afraid it was going to collapse.

"Every bonk and bang that we heard was terrifying," Stolz said.

By 7 p.m., he said the winds had slowed down and they ventured outside into a world of damage.

Stolz said the exterior of the house had been torn apart. The doors and window shutters blew off. Glass was shattered everywhere.

The streets are barely passable, blocked off by debris and toppled power poles, he said. There's no electricity on the island.

"The island's a disaster,"Stolzsaid.

The aftermath

The only way off of St. Thomas in the aftermath of Irma is by private boat, Stolz said.

He said while military planes are landing at the airport, the communications centre was destroyed in the storm.

Stolzsaid some gas stations have re-opened. A restaurant, Bernie's, is charging for drinks, but giving away free containers of food.

Stolzsaid people havebeenpleasant and reasonable so far, all things considered, but he's worried that could change on a dime.

"I think the aftermath of a hurricane could potentially be more dangerous than the hurricane,"Stolzsaid.

He said he's heard that amid the destruction on the British Virgin Island ofTortola, there'swidespread looting.

Stolzsaid that the Gucci store onSt. Thomas was broken into. There has also been some fist fighting.

"That's my biggest fear,I don't want chaos to break out."

Stolzisn't sure when he'llbe returning to Alberta. He saidhe might stay on the island until mid-October.

"I'll see how it goes and see how much help needs to be given," he said.

roberta.bell@cbc.ca

@roberta__bell