Richard Branson shares photos of Hurricane Irma damage on his private island

Virgin founder Richard Branson is picking up the pieces on his private island after Hurricane Irma brought massive devastation to parts of the Caribbean.

Branson hunkered down in his Necker Island wine cellar as Hurricane Irma ripped through the Caribbean, and on Monday, he announced he was headed for Puerto Rico but will soon return to the island to help residents rebuild.

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"Much of the buildings and vegetation on Necker has been destroyed or badly damaged," he wrote on his blog. "This story is about the tens of thousands of people who have lost their homes and their livelihoods. We have spent the past two days visiting team members who live on Virgin Gorda and as many people as possible, distributing aid, water and supplies."

He added, “We have seen first-hand just how ferocious and unforgiving this storm was.”

Branson shared images and video of the devastation on Instagram as the storm ripped through the island.

On Sunday, he tweeted that he will be coordinating with families to help with relief efforts.

Cox Media Group