A powerful hurricane smashed into The Bahamas earlier this month, causing multiple deaths and devastating damage to the chain of Caribbean islands before roaring off towards the United States.
Hurricane Dorian, which at some point was classified as a Category 5 storm, hit land in The Bahamas around midday Sept. 1 over Marsh Harbor on Great Abaco, where it caused severe damage to parts of the island’s chain. It hovered over The Bahamas for several hours.
The hurricane also damaged Grand Bahama Island with winds clocking up to 107 miles per hour and storm surges.
Severe and widespread flooding was reported in parts of the northwest and central Bahamas. Islands in the southeastern and central Bahamas were also unaffected, including The Exumas, Cat Island, San Salvador, Long Island, Acklins/Crooked Island, Mayaguana and Inagua.
DEATHS
Up to press time,at least five deaths were attributed to Hurricane Dorian, which was called the most powerful in the history of The Bahamas.
Dorian reportedly caused “severe and widespread flooding in parts of the northwest and central Bahamas,” according to authorities in the Caribbean nation.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors in two of our northern islands, Abaco and Grand Bahama Island, which have been directly impacted by Hurricane Dorian,” said Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation Director General Joy Jibrilu.
“At this time we are doing everything we can to support these islands … and continue to be grateful that the majority of our 700 islands and cays have been unaffected.”
Hurricane Dorian reportedly generated maximum sustained winds of up to 155 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Dorian was reportedly on a path to hit the east coast of the United States, including the states of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
