Hurricane Dorian, tied as the most powerful storm to hit land anywhere in the Atlantic, battered the Bahamas inflicting colossal damage to property and infrastructure across the chain of islands.
“We have reports of casualties; we have reports of bodies being seen. We cannot confirm those reports until we go out and have a look for ourselves.” As the storm’s eye passed over the island, Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced that parts of Marsh Harbour, a town of more than 6,000 in the Abaco Islands, appeared to be “underwater.” Reports surfaced of desperate residents in now-roofless homes trying to seek shelter from rising floodwaters.
Minnis said that homes in the Bahamas are built to withstand winds as strong as 240km/h and the islands have never before faced a hurricane like Dorian, according to the paper. Despite evacuation orders for those in vulnerable areas, many people hadn’t heeded the warning, he said. While the devastation mounts in the Bahamas, the threat to Florida and the U.S. East Coast remains uncertain. A storm surge warning is in effect from Lantana, about 100 km north of Miami, up to the Volusia/Brevard county line. A hurricane warning is in effect for the Jupiter Inlet, also up to Volusia/Brevard. While many people focus on winds, most hurricane deaths are caused by storm surge and drowning from flooding.
What I have never understood is that year after year is that these islands get wiped out by hurricanes and yr after yr they rebuild with the same flimsy structures. Maybe the international community should step up and build hurricane proof homes for these poor people.
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