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Hurricane Irene hammers Bahamas islands Hurricane Irene hammers Bahamas islands
(about 3 hours later)
Hurricane Irene has destroyed about 100 homes in the Bahamas as it roars over the archipelago. Hurricane Irene destroyed about 100 homes in the Bahamas as it roared over the island chain.
Irene is currently a category three storm, with winds of 185km/h (115mph), and is expected to strengthen as it heads toward the US east coast. Irene, a category three storm, hit with winds of 185km/h (115mph).
Officials said 90% of homes were destroyed in some areas of the remote Acklins and Crooked Islands. Officials said some areas of the remote Acklins and Crooked Islands were badly damaged, although the capital, Nassau, was largely spared.
The huge storm has brought flooding and power cuts across the Caribbean. Irene also brought flooding and power cuts as it swept over Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos Islands over the past few days.
On the island of Mayaguana, where roughly 250 people live, about 40 homes were damaged, AP reported. The Bahamian island of Mayaguana, where roughly 250 people live, about 40 homes were damaged, AP reported.
There are also reports of extensive damage on Cat Island, Long Island and Eleuthera, but authorities there have not been able to complete full assessments as conditions were still dangerous. There were also reports of extensive damage on Cat Island, Long Island and Eleuthera.
Irene was swirling about 530 miles (855km) south-west of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, according to the US National Hurricane Center, based in Miami.
By 20:00 local time (00:00 GMT) the eye of the storm was gradually moving away from Abaco Island, in the north-west Bahamas, forecasters said.
Irene's projected path is expected to take it well offshore of the east coast of central and northern Florida later on Thursday and early Friday, according to the NHC.
The hurricane is forecast to approach the coast of North Carolina, where US President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency, on Saturday.
'Stay safe'
Lovely Bay on Acklins Island in the southern Bahamas was badly hit, said the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema).Lovely Bay on Acklins Island in the southern Bahamas was badly hit, said the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema).
On its website, The Tribune newspaper said homes had "been completely washed away or have lost entire roofs, power lines have been downed and trees are blocking roads".On its website, The Tribune newspaper said homes had "been completely washed away or have lost entire roofs, power lines have been downed and trees are blocking roads".
Crooked Island saw wind gusts of more than 160km/h, with a school's roof "completely blown off and its windows blow out", Nema reported.Crooked Island saw wind gusts of more than 160km/h, with a school's roof "completely blown off and its windows blow out", Nema reported.
On Mayaguana Island, Irene knocked out power, and damaged at least 40 houses. Across the Bahamas, Irene toppled trees and brought some flooding.
Officials are urging people throughout the Bahamas to stay indoors in a safe and secure structure. But the storm's course shifted, sparing New Providence island, which is home to some 200,000 people.
Nassau, on the most populated island of New Providence, was expected to see some flooding. For the last three or four major hurricanes that I can recall, we've managed to skirt the eye of the hurricane," Charlton Knowles, who runs a pizza restaurant in Nassau, told AP.
So far, there have been no reports of casualties. "If the only things we are having are downed trees and pickets fences, then it's just a severe storm and that's all."
"As a general statement, we do a fair job of managing hurricanes so personal injuries, we hope, will not be substantial," Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham told the Associated Press (AP) news agency. Irene was heading towards the US, with its projected path well offshore of the east coast of central and northern Florida later on Thursday and early Friday, according to the NHC.
The hurricane is forecast to approach the coast of North Carolina, where US President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency, on Saturday.