A Weymouth couple had to abandon their livelihood by wading through a river after the Caribbean was hit by back-to-back hurricanes.

Tim and Sam Williams were evacuated from Dominica when, days after it was hit by Hurricane Irma, the island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm in its history.

The couple moved to the ‘tropical paradise’ with their two sons, nine years ago, when Tim said they decided to check out of the rat race.

“We did what some people talk about doing for years. We wanted to try a different lifestyle and go somewhere unique and different,” he said. 

They set up a small boutique accommodation business in the heart of the rainforest.

But the couple were forced to flee their idyllic lifestyle when Hurricane Maria hit the island leaving devastation and destruction in its wake.

Tim said: “Our property survived quite well in the circumstances, all bar one cabin survived, but there has been a huge amount of damage to the surrounding area.” 

He added two access bridges had been obliterated. 
“The forests have been completely destroyed. If you imagine images of the Somme with tree stumps as far as you can see – that is what Dominica looks like now,” he said. 

Ten days after the storm hit, Tim and Sam made the heartbreaking decision to evacuate. 

A statement on their website said: “It was an incredibly difficult decision but we truly felt that on the island we would be a further drain on already limited resources and that we could do much more to assist from the outside.”

Tim said they had to carry bags above their heads to wade across a river to escape their property and get to the airport. 

Now safely back in the UK, the couple are raising funds to help people in Dominica rebuild their lives.

“For the people who lived in the urban communities which have been destroyed, life is very difficult.

“The storm left total devastation. They are totally reliant on helicopter drops and aid for water as rivers are polluted with rotting animal carcasses,” Tim said. 

He added they are asking people to look in their sheds and donate spare tools to help people build basic shelters and begin to rebuild their lives. 

Money raised will be used to buy dry foods, basic provisions and sanitary products to assist people to get from one day to the next. 

“We know we are only going to scratch the surface but everything helps,” Tim said. 

He added he had already spoken with agencies about buying and shipping aid and he hoped he himself would be able to return to Dominica in the next six weeks once flights open.

To contact Tim and Sam or to donate visit facebook.com/Mermaids.Secret.Dominica.