Hurricane irma, the second most powerful storm ever recorded in the atlantic, has now made landfall, as it sweeps across a number of caribbean islands. This evening president macron has warned about casualties in the french caribbean territories, saying the impact had been hard and cruel. The category 5 storm is now heading towards the British Virgin islands and to puerto rico. Our correspondent laura bicker reports. This is what it sounds like to be at the heart of one of the strongest storms recorded in the atlantic. The winds, like a jet engine, roared through the eastern caribbean. The category 5 hurricane ripped roofs off homes and devastated parts of the french territories of st barts and st martin. Two people have lost their lives. Translation i want, firstly, to say a few words to express our profound compassion and solidarity to our fellow citizens who today were affected by Hurricane Irma on st martin and in st barts. These pilots flew into the eye of the storm, a unique view of the sheer scale of this hurricane and, at its core, are those catastrophic 185 mile an hour winds, and that is what they fear on the island of puerto rico. The aim is to try to save as much as possible. Neighbours are handing out wood boarding and supplies. This shop owner describes them as angels. Were a strong island. You know, weve been through this before, so. You know, its a lot of emotions going on, you know. The governor has been inspecting one of the shelters set up for the thousands who are expected to evacuate low lying areas. We are hopeful that itll skid off somewhere north east of puerto rico, but were prepared for the worst as well. We cant leave anything to chance, and our priority right now is to make sure that the people of puerto rico are safe. These families hope they will be safe here. The full force of Hurricane Irma is still several hours away and already you can see and feel its effect. The preparations have been made over the last few days and the governor says that could be the difference between lives lost and lives saved. In florida theyre taking no chances, evacuations are already under way. The storm could hit the Sunshine State this weekend. President trump has declared a state of emergency, freeing up relief funding for florida and puerto rico. We have a lot to discuss, including the fact that theres a new and, seems to be, record breaking hurricane heading right toward florida and puerto rico, and other places. Well see what happens. Well know in a very short period of time, but it looks like it could be something that will be not good. Believe me, not good. Hurricane irma has proved to be a terrifying, unstoppable force. All those in her path can do is hunker down and hope. Laura bicker, bbc news, puerto rico. On the line is amanda lewis, a briton working in providenciales on the turks and caicos islands. Thank you forjoining us. You are expecting this theme, Hurricane Irma, to affect the situation where you are bass that correct. . What is the situation now . Currently, everybody has settled down. There has been an awful lot of preparation. We have had the preparation. We have had the preparation of two of our islands. People are now prepared and ready. People are now prepared and ready. People have been getting supplies and water as they hunker down . Absolutely, yes. People have been helping each other. Families with older aged pensioners have had help and assistance. Our government itself today and employees have been given 50 of their salaries to help them prepare for the day. The country is ready for what ever Hurricane Irma decides to ring at us. Hurricane irma decides to ring at us. What preparations have you personally been making . Water in freezers, Outdoor Furniture brought him, computers are disconnected, all electrical appliances, phone, ipad charged and ready. Just really, mentally, we are all preparing for it. A forecast of a surge of 15 20 feet. We are a very small island, 50 miles long. 15. We are going to have a surge of 20 feet, there will bea have a surge of 20 feet, there will be a lot of damage. I was going to say, that will cause of a lot of problems, no question about that. Have you seen anything like this before . I was in during Hurricane Harvey in. It was a fair distance away from us and that the amount of water we saw was a devastating. You have to imagine we do not have, like in the uk, the sewage system, so everything sits on the ground. We have boreholes across the island. The amount of water we are currently looking at is going to flood asked, without a doubt, we are going to be flooded. Amanda, good luck to you and the other people there. I should tell you is the Prime Minister of antigua and barbuda, where it made landfall, the first land mass it hit after barrelling across the atlantic towards the caribbean. A is the estimated damage, this is from the Prime Minister of antigua and barbuda. Its a leaked document of an early draft, but the revelation of the governments thinking on immigration after brexit, has produced both political opposition and business concern. Today, ministers have been explaining why they believe low skilled migration from the eu should be restricted. Theresa may says Free Movement of workers has hurt some of the lowest paid in the uk. But Business Leaders argue eu workers are good for the economy. Heres laura kuenssberg. There in black and white, a plan for immigration after we leave the eu. Leaked ideas to answer the demand the Prime Minister believes millions made when they voted to go. Prime minister, is your immigration policy going to hurt the economy . A draft of a tighter system of control that could come with its own costs. Overall immigration has been good for the uk, but what people want to see is control of that immigration. That is, i think, what people want to see as a result of coming out of the European Union. We are already able to exercise controls in relation to those who come to this country from outside the countries within the European Union and we continue to believe as a government that it is important to have net migration at sustainable levels. The document from august says freedom of movement, where unlimited eu citizens can come here, will end when we leave. New arrivals after 2019 would have to register to stay long term. There will be tighter rules for lower skilled workers to prioritise british employees, perhaps even with a cap on numbers. And for eu citizens who do come to the uk, it will be harder to bring family along. So, perfect. This Birmingham Food factory is already losing one italian chef, who is worried about brexit, and boss, rosie, is concerned it will make it harder to attract new arrivals, the staff she needs. It will definitely hinder ourjob as an employer but actually, as a food manufacturer. So we do have chefs from all over the world. It will impact our ability to recruit people. Come to order, please. Officially, labour is rather silent on the leak, not yet government policy. But prominent voices fear cutting off low skilled immigration could choke business. The idea that we stop eu citizens coming here, the lower skilled ones who are important for hospitality, construction and social care, will somehow lead to us being more prosperous, is ridiculous. Thats why im hoping this leak isnt genuine government policy and if it is, we are hoping the government rethinks. Is it not time we took back control of our immigration policy . But the government wont budge on its view the referendum was an instruction from the public to control immigration. Exa ctly how . Well, one minister admitted it wont be an easyjob and says since this draft was put together only last month, there have been six more versions of the plan, with notjust the home office, but the treasury, the Brexit Department and number ten all determined to chip in. And dont forget, whatever they decide here, they have to try to persuade the eu. First signs from eu members dont bode well. For us, it would be a nonstarter. For us, it would go in the wrong direction and wont help at all, neither the current negotiation nor the future negotiations. Leaving the eu is notjust about obscure negotiations in the back rooms of brussels but Government Departments right now, engaged in rewriting the countrys rules. Laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. The government in myanmar has rejected accusations that the armed forces are conducting a campaign of indiscriminate violence targeting rohingya muslims. The countrys leader, aung san suu kyi, said the situation in Rakhine State was being distorted by what she called a huge iceberg of misinformation. Its the first time shes spoken since the crisis erupted two weeks ago, leaving hundreds dead, and thousands fleeing their homes. 146,000 people have arrived in bangladesh in the past 12 days, some travelling over land, others arriving on boats across the bay of bengal. The un says that figure could rise to 300,000. Our correspondent Sanjoy Majumder sent this report from the bangladesh Myanmar Border where boats are arriving. These are myanmars boat people dazed, confused after an exhausting trip over the choppy bay of bengal. Stepping on shore with their possessions, whatever they could grab in a hasty escape. This boat carrying Rohingya Refugees has just arrived on the south eastern coast of bangladesh. You can see what a dangerous voyage it has been for them, the boat is lifting dangerously on its side. But its the only way they could have made their way here. Theyve been frightened, running for their lives. On the beach they collapse in a heap, many of them severely dehydrated and sea sick after an eight hour voyage. Some can scarcely believe theyre alive, others let their loved ones know they made it. A brother and sister united after days, separated after their village was attacked, unsure if they would ever seen each again. But some, like dilbar, continue to relive the horror of a village being attacked . Translation it has taken us 20 days to come here. Our village was attacked by the army and buddhist mobs. They burned our house and my aunt was killed. Her grandson was shot, his injured arm now encased in homemade splint. Translation we hit in the mountains for 12 days from where we could hear the sound of bombing, of rockets being fired. People were being slaughtered by the army and buddhist mobs. Its hard to independently verifying whats happening inside myannmar, access is severely restricted. But this unverified video, shot by one of the escaping rohingyas, appears to show thousands of others waiting to leave, fleeing what they allege are targeted killings. And many of those who do make it across to bangladesh bare the scars of violence. This teenager shows us what he says are gunshot wounds. When my village was attacked i tried to run, he says. The soldiers fired indiscriminately. Many people died. They are sometimes described as the worlds most persecuted minority, driven from their homes, the rohingyas now have to find a way to rebuild their lives. Sanjoy majumder, bbc news, bangladesh. Now its time for newsnight, with kirsty wark. Ang sang suu kyi, once feted as the woman who can do no wrong on the world stage. Now shes being cast as the bad guy in the rohingya crisis. Her office is accusing International Aid workers of helping terrorists. Theres talk of crimes against humanity and even cancelling her nobel prize. Is it true . We ask a human rights activist and a campaigner for burmese democracy. Also tonight. Not good. Believe me, not good. Hes not wrong