It’s hurricane season, and there hasn’t been much time to pause after hurricane Harvey. Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 storm barreling through the Caribbean toward Florida. Residents in the storm’s path have prepared by boarding up windows, taking shelter or evacuating. Nevertheless there are always the defiant ones, and Richard Branson appears to have taken the storm head on. Kind of.
The Washington Post reports that the billionaire founder of Virgin Group was fortunate enough to be able to take refuge in the wine cellar beneath his house. Branson has lived on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands for 30 years, and he is familiar with hurricanes.
“Generally speaking, we have one hurricane in the British Virgin Islands around every 10 years,” Branson wrote in a blog post quoted by the Post. “Fortunately, most of them drift north of us, but this one is coming straight for us, with the eye of the storm heading straight for Necker, Moskito Island and Virgin Gorda.” Branson seemed initially unfazed by the approaching hurricane, and posted an Instagram shot of him drinking wine and playing dice with family and friends.
Before the storm hit, Branson joked “Knowing our wonderful team as I do, I suspect there will be little wine left in the cellar when we all emerge.” Then Irma hit. For hours there was no communication from Branson. Hurricane Irma tore through other islands in the region resulting in severe damage and several fatalities. Thursday morning, Branson seemed to dial back his jovial attitude and posted an update on his blog saying he was “deeply saddened” by the resulting devastation of the hurricane, and was happy to report that he and his loved ones were safe and accounted for.
