ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda government has hinted at the possibility of imposing a curfew during the passage of Hurricane Irma expected to impact the island later Tuesday and Wednesday.

Speaking after a special Cabinet meeting Monday night, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, said this is to ensure that “persons stay within the safety of their homes to protect lives and limb and at the same time to ensure …that there is no looting of businesses.

 “So again we are seriously considering that of having a curfew during the period of the storm. In any event we want to rely on individuals’ responsibility to ensure that we do not endanger lives, to protect family members …especially the disabled,” Browne said.

He said that his administration had already received assurances of assistance from ‘friendly nations” in the event the storm hits the island and commercial banks have already indicated a willingness to provide overdraft facilities to the government.

Browne said that the VC Bird International Airport will be closed at 4:00 pm (local time) and some hotels have also announced that they have taken action to safeguard the safety of their guests.

The Antigua-based regional airline, LIAT, has announced the cancellation of several of its daily flights mainly to areas in the path of the Category 5 Hurricane Irma.

“Passengers with travel dates from 4th to 8th September will have change fees and fare differences waived. Passengers with travel dates from 9th to 11th will have the change fees waived but will have to pay any fare difference. Passengers who make changes after the 18th September will be subject to all change fees and applicable fare differences. We strongly advise our passengers to contact LIAT’s Call Centre for rebooking at their earliest convenience,” the airline said in a statement.

The authorities have said that shelters have already been opened in both Antigua and Barbuda and Health Minister Molwyn Joseph said plans to deal with flooding and other disasters associated with the storm have already been put in place.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Hurricane Irma, with maximum sustained winds increased to 175mph (280 kph) early Tuesday. It was centred about 270 miles (440 kilometres) east of Antigua and moving west at 14 mph (22 kph).

Authorities warned that the storm could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimetres) of rain, cause landslides and flash floods and generate waves of up to 23 feet (7 metres).

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts, and Nevis, Saba, St Eustatius, and St Maarten St Martin and St Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra.

A Hurricane Watch remains in effect for Guadeloupe while a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Dominica.