Bermuda’s troops got to work as soon as they arrived in hurricane-hit Turks & Caicos, the commander on the ground said yesterday.

Major Corey Smalley explained the Royal Bermuda Regiment contingent had helped to build a logistics base for the World Food Programme on Providenciales while waiting for an airlift to Grand Turk at the other end of the island chain.

Major Smalley, Executive Officer of the Regiment, said the troops were now in Grand Turk and working hard to help repair the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Irma, while bracing themselves and the local population for an expected hit from Hurricane Maria on Friday.

They are fighting searing temperatures of more than 100F and plagues of mosquitoes — made worse by standing water after Irma hit, while there is no running water or flushing toilets.

The RBR soldiers, who flew out on an RAF transport plane last Friday, are living in the main airport on Grand Turk, sleeping on the terminal floor without running water or air conditioning and existing on bottled water and field rations.

Major Smalley said: “I’ve lived in some inhospitable places, but last night was pretty unbearable.”

But he added the Bermuda contingent had been welcomed with open arms by Grand Turk residents. He said: “The reaction to the Bermudians being back on the island after we helped with Hurricane Ike nine years ago has been really positive. When our soldiers are out and about, the people speak very highly of the troops who were here in 2008.

“We’re here once again to help out one of our sister islands and they’re so grateful to see us here. It’s not great conditions, but our troops are still pushing out 12-hour days.”

The 30-strong group of soldiers have been working to fix the severely damaged EL Simons Primary School on Grand Turk. Major Smalley said: “Our soldiers have been at the school all day and the troops have done a great job clearing out the building, removing rubble and trying to make the building as safe as possible so kids can get back to school.”

He added: “The new-type buildings have suffered a little bit of damage, but older ones with wooden structures and roofs have been hit very hard and people can’t live in them.

“The local population is in dire need of food and clean water. The majority of the island is without power and running water and that’s caused problems because no one has flushing toilets or clean drinking water. Half of the operation is focused on food and water distribution points with supplies flown in by air or transported on boats.

“The other side is assessment, stabilisation and reconstruction of key places like schools and Government administration buildings — that’s the main effort of the Royal Engineers and the RBR.”

Major Smalley added that the troops were also working to find a safe place for the local population and the RBR to “hunker down” before Hurricane Maria hits on Friday morning.

He added: “We’ll then sort out our equipment and get back into the community to help them out.” Major Smalley was speaking as the concerns of Bermuda residents turned to the Caribbean again last night as the region was braced for a second major hurricane in less than three weeks.

Hurricane Maria hit category five status last night as it ploughed straight through the Caribbean.

A six-strong group from the Bermuda Police Service and a Bermuda Hospitals Board staff member have also been deployed to the Caribbean to help.

And a team of six Belco linemen are also awaiting the green light before they can travel to the British Virgin Islands after their Sunday departure date was put back by Hurricane Maria.

Fundraising efforts in Bermuda are well under way to help those affected by devastation caused by back-to-back hurricanes. Susan Moore-Williams, vice president of the West Indies Association, told The Royal Gazette that members’ thoughts and prayers remained with the residents of the countries hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

“Our emphasis at the moment is that we are still very early in the hurricane season; this is a marathon and not a sprint, so efforts have to be ongoing,” she said.

“We have our first Caribbean cruise event this weekend to raise funds and will be looking to maintain this month by month to ensure a long-lasting response to what has happened in the Caribbean.”

Wayne Caines, the Minister of National Security and chairman of the Emergency Measures Organisation, yesterday warned people visiting beaches to be careful of swells and dangerous rip currents caused by Jose and Maria. Mr Caines said: “As it relates to Hurricane Jose, Bermuda will continue to experience unsettled weather into tomorrow. This will result in heavy rain and some flooding in areas that are prone.”

Airport operators Skyport scrapped the normal airline fees for a pair of Royal Air Force aircraft that stopped off in Bermuda as they headed to the Caribbean. The Ministry of Health has urged anyone travelling to the Caribbean islands affected by Hurricane Irma to take the appropriate health precautions.

Donations can be made to the West Indies Association’s Bank of Butterfield account 20006 060 870030 100 or to the Bermuda Red Cross through BNTB: 20006 060 663859 200. The public can also donate to the Salvation Army online at: sar.my/amappeal.

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