Main content
This programme will be available shortly after broadcast

Hurricane Luis hits Antigua

In September 1995, three-quarters of homes on the Caribbean island of Antigua were destroyed by Hurricane Luis.

On 4 September 1995, Hurricane Luis hit the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Two people were killed and three-quarters of homes were destroyed.

Authorities said it set the island back by a decade.

Resident Eli Fuller tells Jen Dale about the havoc caused by the hurricane.

Witness History is a short ĢƵ World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.

When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015 to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.

You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end.

And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.

If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of ĢƵ World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.

(Photo: The aftermath of Hurricane Luis. Credit: Eli Fuller)

Release date:

10 minutes

On radio

Thu 27 Aug 2026 07:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 27 Aug 2026 07:50GMT
  • Thu 27 Aug 2026 11:50GMT
  • Thu 27 Aug 2026 17:50GMT
  • Thu 27 Aug 2026 21:50GMT
  • Fri 28 Aug 2026 02:50GMT

Podcast