This photo provided by the British Royal Navy shows the destruction after Hurricane Irma, in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. 

PORTLAND (AP) — An Air National Guard unit from Maine is deploying to the U.S. Virgin Islands to provide critical communications to support the recovery efforts.

Seven Air National Guard members from the 265th Combat Communications Squadron mobilized late Thursday.

The 265th is tasked with establishing communications links for military, and if necessary, for civilian response authorities.

The U.S. Virgin Islands are reeling after back-to-back hurricanes. President Donald Trump said Friday that the islands were “flattened.”

The 265th has helped with hurricane relief before, including a deployment to Vermont after Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011.