No reports of deaths from Dorian: Bahamian official

Miami, Sep 2 (IANS) Bahamian officials have not received any report of fatalities from Hurricane Dorian, which made landfall in the archipelago as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 295 km/h (185 mph), the director-general of the country’s tourism ministry said.

“It’s devastating,” Joy Jibrilu said on Sunday. “There has been huge damage to property and infrastructure. Luckily, no loss of life reported,” Efe news reported The storm slammed into Elbow Cay, Abacos, at 12.40 p.m. EDT (16.40 GMT), and made a second landfall about 80 minutes later near Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) urged Bahamians to turn to prayer.
“In this time, we are asking people to do their best to remain calm, to NOT post or share information if not accurate because it stirs confusion and most of all PRAY for the best outcome. We are currently doing all that we can,” NEMA said on Twitter.

Residents of the affected areas told Bahamian media that Dorian’s winds tore roofs off of buildings, flipped vehicles over and toppled power lines. As the storm battered the Abacos, the Bahamas’ prime minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis, renewed his pleas for residents of high-risk areas of Grand Bahama Island – the next territory in Dorian’s path – to evacuate while they still had time.

Bahamian law does not give the government authority to order mandatory evacuation.
“This is probably the most saddened and worst day of my life to address the Bahamian people,” Minnis told a press conference.

“We are facing a hurricane, one that we’ve never seen in the history of the Bahamas. There will be gusts in excess of 200 mph (321 km/h). We have some of the best standards of home-building within this region. Our homes are built to withstand at least 150 mph so this will put us to the test that we have never confronted before,” he said.

“Many have not heed my warning, many are left behind, there are individuals in the western area who still refuse to leave. I can only say to them that I hope this is not the last time they will hear my voice and may God be with them,” the prime minister said.

As of 21.00 GMT, Dorian was located 150 km (90 mi) east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, and 280 km (175 mi) east of West Palm Beach, Florida, the US National Hurricane Center said.
The storm was moving westward at 7 km/h (5 mph), the NHC said, forecasting that the storm will make a gradual turn to the northwest.

“On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Great Abaco today and the move near or over Grand Bahama Island tonight and Monday. The hurricane should move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night,” the NHC said.

A hurricane warning has been posted for the northwestern Bahamas, excluding Andros Island, while a hurricane watch is in effect for Andros. In Florida, a tropical storm warning is in effect from north of Deerfield Beach to Sebastian Inlet, while a tropical storm watch is in effect from north of Golden Beach to Deerfield Beach.

The storm could possibly affect coastal areas in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina after moving away from the east coast of Florida.
–IANS
rt/