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Hurricane Dorian Closes In on Bahamas as ‘Catastrophic’ Category 5 Storm Hurricane Dorian Closes In on Bahamas as ‘Catastrophic’ Storm
(about 1 hour later)
An already dangerous Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Sunday as it aimed its fury at the northern reaches of the Bahamas archipelago, leaving residents scrambling to find shelter as they braced for rising waters and torrential rains. Hurricane Dorian strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Sunday and aimed its fury at the northern reaches of the Bahamas archipelago, leaving residents scrambling to find shelter as they braced for rising waters and torrential rains.
As dawn broke and the first winds began to batter the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said in a bulletin that the storm’s maximum sustained winds had reached 160 miles an hour, calling it a “catastrophic” storm. It strengthened further through the morning, with winds reaching 175 mph with gusts over 200 mph, the hurricane center said. It warned that “extreme winds and storm surge will continue for several hours.” As dawn broke and the first winds began to batter the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said in a bulletin that the storm’s maximum sustained winds had reached 160 miles an hour, calling it a “catastrophic” storm.
[Follow live updates on Hurricane Dorian here.][Follow live updates on Hurricane Dorian here.]
Dorian is the strongest hurricane on record to hit the northwestern Bahamas, the hurricane center said, with maximum sustained winds reaching 180 m.p.h. and gusts over 170 m.p.h. It warned that “extreme winds and storm surge will continue for several hours.”
Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said on Saturday that 73,000 residents and 21,000 homes would be affected. Moving west slowly, Dorian was expected to slow to a crawl as it passed over the Bahamas, a region that prides itself in withstanding powerful storms.Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said on Saturday that 73,000 residents and 21,000 homes would be affected. Moving west slowly, Dorian was expected to slow to a crawl as it passed over the Bahamas, a region that prides itself in withstanding powerful storms.
But the storm brings greater dangers than most.But the storm brings greater dangers than most.
“A prolonged period of life-threatening storm surge, devastating hurricane -force winds and heavy rains are capable of producing life-threatening flash floods,” the National Hurricane Center said.“A prolonged period of life-threatening storm surge, devastating hurricane -force winds and heavy rains are capable of producing life-threatening flash floods,” the National Hurricane Center said.
Meteorologists warned of a storm surge that would raise water levels as much as 15 feet to 20 feet above normal and deliver more than two feet of rainfall in some areas. The storm has grown larger, the center said, with winds extending upward up to 45 miles from the center. Meteorologists also warned of a storm surge that would raise water levels as much as 18 feet to 25 feet above normal and deliver more than two feet of rainfall in some areas.
“We will pray and hope for the best but plan for the worst,” Michael Pintard, the Bahamian minister of agriculture, said in a text message on Saturday evening.“We will pray and hope for the best but plan for the worst,” Michael Pintard, the Bahamian minister of agriculture, said in a text message on Saturday evening.
Residents hunkered down in schools, churches and other emergency shelters, but there was concern that some would try to brave the storm in their homes.Residents hunkered down in schools, churches and other emergency shelters, but there was concern that some would try to brave the storm in their homes.
Frankie Fleuridor, an activist who works with the Haitian community in Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco was worried that not everybody would be able to leave. “Some people are saying that they’re not going to go because they have nowhere to go,” he said on Saturday.Frankie Fleuridor, an activist who works with the Haitian community in Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco was worried that not everybody would be able to leave. “Some people are saying that they’re not going to go because they have nowhere to go,” he said on Saturday.
“It’s tough for people in the shantytowns,” he said. Their plywood houses are not built to withstand hurricane-force winds and are vulnerable to flooding. He said that he had rented hotel rooms for the most vulnerable, but could not afford to do more. “I’m maxed out,” he said.“It’s tough for people in the shantytowns,” he said. Their plywood houses are not built to withstand hurricane-force winds and are vulnerable to flooding. He said that he had rented hotel rooms for the most vulnerable, but could not afford to do more. “I’m maxed out,” he said.
Mr. Minnis, the prime minister, warned residents of the most vulnerable regions on Friday to move to higher ground, but The Nassau Guardian reported on Saturday that some residents on Sweeting Cay, a fishing village on the eastern side of Grand Bahama Island, were stranded and calling for help.Mr. Minnis, the prime minister, warned residents of the most vulnerable regions on Friday to move to higher ground, but The Nassau Guardian reported on Saturday that some residents on Sweeting Cay, a fishing village on the eastern side of Grand Bahama Island, were stranded and calling for help.
Mr. Pintard, the agriculture minister, crisscrossed Grand Bahama Island on Saturday in a last-minute effort to help to residents. Many homes are still damaged from Hurricane Matthew, which hit the island two years ago. He brought a team of workers to nail plywood on roofs, windows and doors.Mr. Pintard, the agriculture minister, crisscrossed Grand Bahama Island on Saturday in a last-minute effort to help to residents. Many homes are still damaged from Hurricane Matthew, which hit the island two years ago. He brought a team of workers to nail plywood on roofs, windows and doors.
He said he was concerned that many of the damaged homes would face “tremendous rain downpour and hurricane-force winds,” and that there was a shortage of both labor and plywood to prepare.He said he was concerned that many of the damaged homes would face “tremendous rain downpour and hurricane-force winds,” and that there was a shortage of both labor and plywood to prepare.
The storm’s slow pace and the low-lying islands’ vulnerability to flooding added to those concerns.The storm’s slow pace and the low-lying islands’ vulnerability to flooding added to those concerns.
Thousands of people were at risk of losing their homes — which is their “life’s investment,” he said, adding that “catastrophic damage” would close businesses and eliminate jobs, “which we are ill prepared for.”Thousands of people were at risk of losing their homes — which is their “life’s investment,” he said, adding that “catastrophic damage” would close businesses and eliminate jobs, “which we are ill prepared for.”
Tourism is a mainstay of the Bahamas’ economy, but the region in the direct path of the storm is not the center of the industry. Many hotels on Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands were closed for the low season.
Among those open was Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour. Most tourists had left, but a few were planning to brave it out along with the news crews, insurance executives, business travelers and some local residents who had booked rooms.
“It’s emergency business, not business as usual,” said Rick Lohr, the hotel’s general manager.
Mr. Lohr said that the hotel had a generator and ample food and water supplies, but he was cautious nonetheless.
“A lot of people have generators and plans for this because we’re very susceptible to storms, but this is a big one,” he said. “You never take them for granted.”
“It’s moving so slowly, you don’t know where it’s going to go,” he added. “It can create a lot of damage.”
The Bahamas Metereology Department said it expected the eye of the storm to pass over the Abaco Islands on Sunday afternoon and move over Grand Bahama overnight.
As the storm approached North Abaco, water began to break over the sea wall at Cooper’s Town, according to video shared by residents and posted on the Twitter feed of The Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas. The Nassau Guardian reported that many residents of Great Guana Cay, one of the easternmost Abaco islands, had refused to evacuate.
Troy Albury, a resident of Great Guana Cay, told the newspaper that about 150 people were still on the island. “Our house is built solid,” he said. “It’s more than 15 feet above sea level. My house isn’t going anywhere.”
“We’ve been through four storms.”