BAHAMAS – The most powerful storm to hit the Bahamas since records began has caused major destruction.
The slow-moving, category five Dorian – the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane on record – is now packing sustained winds of up to 270kmph and may cause a storm surge of up to 7metres in height.
There is no official word on casualties but the Red Cross estimated that about 13,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.
The hurricane is moving slowly west, with the eastern US coast at risk.
In the US, states of Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina have all declared states of emergency.
According to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami, the storm surge is life threating.
The NHC stated:
“A life-threatening storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 18 to 23 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds on Grand Bahama Island. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Water levels should very slowly subside on the Abaco Islands during the day.
“The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…
“Lantana to the Mouth of the St. Mary’s River…4 to 7 ft North of Deerfield Beach to Lantana…2 to 4 ft
“The surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the how close the center of Dorian comes to the Florida east coast, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.”
