At least 2,500 people registered as missing in the Bahamas

At least 2,500 people have been registered as missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamas government said Wednesday.

The government has confirmed that oil from tanks damaged by the storm had spread along the coast of Grand Bahama. The oil spill first became apparent on Friday. Equinor’s oil facility is located on the shore of the eastern end of Grand Bahama, which was slammed by Dorian when the storm parked itself over the island with winds in excess of 165 miles per hour and life-threatening rains. An architect with the Bahamas Ministry of Works said that the oil from the facility had made its way into the area’s drinking water supply.

At least 5,500 people had been evacuated to Nassau, where officials were adding additional tents to accommodate evacuees.

Officials warned that Bahamians are still in the peak of hurricane season, and they should expect heavy rainfall and gusty winds through the weekend as a new system moves across the islands. The storm has a low chance of developing, officials said. 

A representative from Bahamas Power and Light said the company anticipates restoring power to the southern part of Abaco in three weeks. The company has not completed assessment of the 15 affected cays, which could take months to restore.

[Miami Herald]

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation, Uncategorized by Grant Montgomery.