This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/sep/03/hurricane-dorian-bahamas-florida-storm-flooding-live-updates

The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Hurricane Dorian: slow-moving storm batters Bahamas – live updates Hurricane Dorian weakens to category 2 intensity but expands in size – live news
(about 4 hours later)
Here’s a latest, very clear map from the Guardian of the path of Dorian over the Bahamas. State Department alerts
Emergency number A number of information bulletins have just been tweeted by the US State Department about the dire situation in the Bahamas - the full extent of which remains to be seen by the world beyond Grand Bahama, as details unfold.
Here’s a reminder of a national emergency number in the Bahamas to use to try checking up on anyone who might be cut-off or missing. But these urgent messages speak for themselves.
It was just posted to Twitter as a reminder from a news outlet in Orlando. We urge U.S. citizens in #TheBahamas who have been affected by Hurricane #Dorian to contact loved ones. To notify us of U.S. citizens needing assistance in an affected area, call 888-407-4747 (in the U.S.) or 202-501-4444 (abroad), or email ACSNassau@state.gov.
ALERT: If are trying to find someone IN THE BAHAMAS impacted by Hurricane #Dorian, you can call: pic.twitter.com/ZN5LxQ1KhW Floridians stepping up for the Bahamas
“This hurricane will totally destroy this island” The US Coast Guard might be mustering in Miami ready to take relief to the storm-battered Bahamas, but locals are ready and willing to help, too.
The Freeport Times in the Bahamas just tweeted an impromptu image of a rain-soaked window looking out onto windswept palms, with an almost despairing message. The #Bahamas needs our help, and we are stepping up. Today, we held #HurricaneDorian relief efforts in the heart of #Miami’s Bahamian community, #CoconutGrove, where we collected supplies for our island neighbors. Bring your items to any @CityofMiami fire station! #BAHAMASTRONG pic.twitter.com/joPwIWDqqH
“Dorian will really not move away.” Flash flooding
Freeport, Grand Bahamas, 7:33, Tuesday. Dorian will not really move away. Heavy Rain. This hurricane will totally destroy this Island. pic.twitter.com/fwm5ZkFa6B The latest @NWSWPC (National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center) rainfall forecast shows that the flash flood threat will increase today and tonight along the Florida peninsula, then spread up the SE and mid-Atlantic coast during the middle and latter part of the week.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Hurricane Dorian. Here is the latest: The latest @NWSWPC rainfall forecast shows that the flash flood threat will increase today and tonight along theFlorida peninsula, then spread up the SE and mid-Atlantic coast during the middle and latter part of the week. The full #Dorian advisory is at https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/QMiHt3GeLl
Five people are confirmed dead after Dorian stalled over the island of Grand Bahama for a day, staying in roughly the same position for 12 hours Dorian aiming for Florida east coast.
Bahama’s prime minister, Hubert Minnis, described the hurricane as a “historic tragedy in parts of our northern Bahamas” The National Hurricane Center has just put out its 11AM update.
Storm surges of 12 to 18 feet (4-5 meters) above normal hit Grand Bahama Island Dorian has weakened to a category 2 hurricane. Dangerous winds and storm surge will continue to affect Grand Bahama for several more hours.
Up to 13,000 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged Now the storm is expanding and posing increased threat to the US east coast in some respects. The NHC warns of life-threatening storm surges and dangerous winds along portions of Florida’s east coast and also the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.
Dorian was downgraded to a category 3 hurricane early on Tuesday, meaning it still packs winds of 120mph The service also warns that North Carolina is at risk and there is the threat of flash flooding all up the coast, from Florida north.
Gusts of over 100mph have hit Florida’s east coast and evacuation orders are in place in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia Here are the #Dorian Key Messages for Sept 3rd 11 AM EDT: Many new #Hurricane Watches and Warnings have been issued for the Carolinas with multiple threats expected across the southeastern United States. More: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/LepqRE983a
More than 1,300 flights have been cancelled in the US as well as to and from the country. Up to 1,000 more are expected to be cancelled on Tuesday Dorian drifting
Here’s a fresh version of the popular projection “cone” maps that shows the latest forecast of Hurricane Dorian’s possible as it whirls along the US east coast.
It looks likely to remain at hurricane strength into the weekend, as it spins down to a less powerful but still hazardous category 1 storm off New York by Saturday.
Canada, you’re going to feel some of it, too. More or less than, say....Alabama? Time will tell, as they say (always the most lame and annoying end to a story, but so true in this case). Here’s that digital cone map, courtesy of CNN.
An eerie quiet
I’m in Savannah, Georgia, the Guardian’s Oliver Laughland writes this morning.
The historic and famously beautiful city hugs the coastline, just over 100 miles from the Florida border.
Savannah, along with a group of other Georgian coastal counties, was placed under an evacuation order yesterday by governor Brian Kemp.
It was eerily quiet here last night. The city’s downtown area was mostly deserted, save one last dive bar holding a heavy metal concert for a local band that attracted an audience of about 4 people, including me.
Tropical storm conditions are expected here within the next 36 hours and a storm surge warning is in effect from here to the Florida border. Despite this, most locals I’ve spoken to seem pretty non-fussed about Dorian. A number of people have told me they don’t plan to evacuate today, as the projections this morning indicate Dorian staying further out to sea.
I’ll be taking a seven hour drive down to Miami today, where the Guardian is hoping to get out to the Bahamas tomorrow. I’ll send you updates of what I see along the coastal drive on the way.
National Hurricane Center update
NHC 10AM EDT tropical cyclone update.
Here is the 10 AM EDT Tropical Cyclone Update on #Dorian. For more information see https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb. pic.twitter.com/g6uNRddJ2m
At least five people have been confirmed killed in the Bahamas so far and 21 injured people were airlifted to the Bahamian capital, Nassau, by the US Coast Guard, Bahamas officials said.
“We are in the midst of an historic tragedy,” prime minister Hubert Minnis said yesterday. “The devastation is unprecedented and extensive.”
Hurricane Dorian crawls away from Bahamas
The tempest is now 45 miles north-north-east of Freeport, Bahamas, 105 miles east-north-east of Palm Beach, Florida, with sustained wind speeds now of 115mph.
That means that wind speeds have almost halved since it was a category 5 blowing in excess of 200mph, with wind gusts over 225mph, at the weekend.
Dorian is still a category 3 hurricane and the US National Hurricane Center has predicted it will stay at hurricane strength all week, albeit that it’s weakening steadily now as it heads towards the US.
US rallying for the Bahamas
Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio says the US is ready to provide aid and assistance to the Bahamas. The island archipelago nation is in dire straits after Hurricane Dorian sat at a category 5 with winds at 200mph and above sat over it over the long weekend.
It’s barely shifting away from there now, but is very slowly on the move and the full extent of the death and destruction it has left behind is yet to be revealed to the outside world. So far we have just had awful glimpses of the situation, as ordinary people on social media and Bahamian government figures have put out small updates.
Speaking to @uscoastguard over the last day about the #Bahamas.U.S. is ready to deploy behind #HurricaneDorian to provide aid & assitance to our neighbors on the islands. “Forward, Upward, Onward, Together"#BahamasStrong
United Nations prepping relief for Bahamas
UN agencies said on Tuesday that they had emergency medical and food aid ready to help the people of the Bahamas after the devastating passage of hurricane Dorian through the island chain.
They estimate that at least 61,000 people will need food aid after the monster storm hit the islands, officials told reporters in Geneva, the South African-based news letter The Citizen reports.
The islands’ water system is damaged and fresh water will be a priority, the UN Office for coordination of humanitarian affairs reported.
UN experts are waiting for government clearance before assessing the situation on the ground, said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.
The OCHA statement said the authorities on Abaco island were talking of “catastrophic damage”, while emergency officials on Grand Bahama were reporting massive flooding there.
Herve Verhoosel for the World Food Program said their initial estimate suggested that 47,000 people would need food aid on Grand Bahama and another 14,000 on Abaco.
Emergency medical teams were also standing by to intervene, said Fadela Chaib, spokesperson for the World Health Organization.
Unrecognizable
The Freedom International Airport in the Bahamas is under water.
This is reportedly video of the Freeedom International Airport in Bahamas. As you can see there is no place for a plane to land. #HurricaneDorian https://t.co/aU2M2AdYdx