Hurricane-battered Bahamas braces for tropical storm

The Bahamas was bracing itself for a tropical storm on Friday as the nation was still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Dorian.

The National Hurricane Center, based in Miami, said a depression had built up near the archipelagic state and was predicted to become a tropical storm by Saturday.

Bahamian meteorologists said the Grand Bahama and Abaco islands, which were heavily hit by Dorian, were in the path of the approaching storm, as locals feared the worst.

Trevor Basden, director of the Department of Meteorology, forecast winds of up to 60 mph (100 kph), as well as heavy rainfall, which could cause further flooding to the islands.

Carl Smith, a spokesman for the Bahamian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), warned of additional repercussions for a nation still struggling to come to terms with the devastation caused by Dorian, classified as a Category 5 hurricane. “The weather system will slow down logistics. Fuel and water remain the biggest needs in Abaco.”

The death toll from Dorian now stands at 52, although officials have said they expect it to increase significantly once all the bodies are recovered. Some 1,300 people are still missing.

UN blames climate change

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres offered his support to the battered islands as he said the warnings of climate change must be heeded.

He tweeted: “I’ve come to the Bahamas to express my solidarity with the Bahamian people after the onslaught of #HurricaneDorian, and to discuss ways we can continue supporting them.”

“Hospitals are either in ruins, or overwhelmed,” the UN chief continued. “Schools have been turned into rubble. Thousands of people will continue to need help with food, water and shelter.”

“In our new era of climate crisis, hurricanes and storms are turbo-charged,” he said. “They happen with greater intensity and frequency, a direct result of warmer oceans.”

“Science is telling us: this is just the start. Without urgent action, climate disruption is only going to get worse. Every week brings news of climate-related devastation.”

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Heading up the US coast

  Dorian has been downgraded to a Category 3 storm, after exiting the Bahamas. It has continued on a north and northeast path, brushing past Florida and on its way to Georgia and South and North Carolina. Dorian had exploded from a Category 3 to Category 5 hurricane within just two days, with maximal sustained winds reaching up to 295 kilometers (185 miles) per hour, as it hit the Bahamas.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Abaco Islands ‘decimated’

  Aerial footage of the Abaco Islands, Dorian’s worst-hit area, showed vast devastation following the storm. Hundreds of homes were missing their roofs, cars were overturned, and widespread flooding and debris was strewn all over. Bahamas’ Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said sections of the island had been “decimated.”

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Death toll expected to rise

  As of Wednesday evening, 20 people were confirmed dead in the Bahamas due to the storm. Storm surges of 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) left wide areas in the archipelago under water. The international airport and hospital in the main city of Freeport were under water, complicating rescue operations.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Bahamas hit hardest

  The eye of the storm moved very slowly, and residents were forced to cope with more than 30 hours of hurricane winds, torrential rain and flooding.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Bad time for golf

  US President Donald Trump has described the storm as “monstrous” and urged everyone to heed any evacuation orders given by the authorities. Previously, Florida officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for Palm Beach County, home of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf resort. The governors of Georgia and South Carolina also ordered mandatory evacuations of their states’ coastal areas.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Better safe than sorry

  The hurricane’s path and very slow progress have continued to cause confusion. Even if the storm only grazes the US east coast, local authorities have already set up shelters and urged those in vulnerable areas to relocate.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Waiting for water

  The slow movement of the storm left many in Florida holding their breaths and rushing to stock up on food, water and medicine to last them at least seven days. This Costco store in central Florida only allowed two cases of bottled water per person.

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  Hurricane Dorian churns through Caribbean

  Science vs. nature

  NASA scientists developed this mobile launch pad to help them send more humans to the moon. As the storm threatened to come close to Cape Canaveral, they decided to move it into the massive Vehicle Assembly Building to keep it safe. But NASA was spared the worst, as the storm inched just off the coast of Florida.

  Author: Darko Janjevic

jsi/aw (AFP, AP)

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Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/hurricane-battered-bahamas-braces-for-tropical-storm/a-50429360?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf