LONDON, Sept 9 (AFP) - Sailors from a British warship have landed on Grenada to help the Caribbean island get back on its feet after it felt the full force of Hurricane Ivan, the Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy said Thursday.
The frigate HMS Richmond and supply vessel HMS Wave Ruler were both on patrol near Grenada, a Commonwealth member nation and former British colony, when the fierce storm struck on Wednesday.
Grenada's prime minister Keith Mitchell was taken aboard HMS Richmond when his home became one of the many to be damaged or flattened by the hurricane, a Ministry of Defense spokesman in London said.
The anti-submarine frigate's helicopter meanwhile took to the sky for a bird's eye view of the damage, with about 60 of its crew of 200 went on shore to lend whatever help they could.
"We have really taken a tremendous hit in every respect," prime minister Mitchell told BBC radio by telephone.
"You are talking hundreds of millions of dollars of damage," he said. "I have declared the country a national disaster and I have contacted our international friends and indicated that."
"I am pretty sure we have taken a tremendous hit on the nutmeg industry, which of course is a key barometer of economic development," he added.
Grenada, a former British colony, is a member of the Commonwealth, and retains Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state. In 1983 it was invaded by the United States; democracy was restored a year later.
HMS Richmond's commanding officer, Mike McCartain, said the sailors on shore were helping the injured, mending hospital generators and replinishing medical supplies.
"We found ourselves at the same time clearing the (airport) runway here to enable aircraft to start arriving over the next few days with emergency supplies," he said.
"The capital looks as if it has been completely devastated. We had the prime minister on board today for a number of hours while we were trying to allow him to speak to his people on the island," the commander said.
"He was able to tell me that his house had been completely flattened... He found himself slightly isolated, but we have managed to get his ministers to him so he can perform his functions of government."
McCartain called Hurricane Ivan one of the worst storms ever to hit Grenada.
"They are going to need an awful lot of help over the next few weeks," he said. "The Caribbean emergency response teams are already responding to the aid that Grenada has asked for, but there is an awful lot to do."