Hurricane Dorian has destroyed entire tracts of land in the Bahamas, killing at least seven people. Images from the air showed flooded villages, destroyed houses, containers and boats.
"We have to assume that there will be more deaths," said Prime Minister Hubert Minnis at a press conference. On state radio and on social media, numerous Bahamians have reported missing relatives.
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Evacuations: Hurricane "Dorian" is heading for the United StatesMinnis had a picture of the situation on the Abaco Islands from the air. More than 60 percent of the 6,000-inhabitant town of Marsh Harbor are damaged, the Prime Minister said. The poor settlement The Mud, in which mainly Haitian immigrants lived, had been completely destroyed. In a community near Cooper's Town on Great Abaco, about 30 people are trapped by the floods.
At night, a British Navy ship was to reach the Abaco Islands and provide food for the residents, Minnis said. The US Coast Guard has been in rescue operation since Monday. The head of government spoke of further offers of help and asked for donations. It is one of the worst national crises in the country's history. He also announced the use of security forces to preserve public order.
In total, about 76,000 people lived in the most affected areas. In large parts of the islands the mobile radio was disturbed.
REUTERS
The hurricane hit the Abaco Islands in the northeastern Caribbean state on Sunday and developed gusts of wind of almost 300 kilometers per hour. On Monday, "Dorian" had moved across the island of Grand Bahama and then slowly moved on. He is one of the hurricanes of the most dangerous category five and is the most devastating storm in the Bahamas since records began.
The Red Cross estimates that an estimated 13,000 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged. More than 60,000 people urgently needed food, according to a statement by the UN World Food Program (WFP).
Sturm is heading for US states
"Dorian" pulled in the late evening a bit weakened toward the United States. According to forecasts by the National Hurricane Center, he should come "dangerous close" during the day Florida and then pass by near the coast in the US state of Georgia. Further north, in South Carolina and North Carolina, the hurricane could also move directly across the coast, the experts warned.
US President Trump had already declared a state of emergency on Tuesday for South Carolina and announced aid. Also in Florida and Georgia was the disaster. Coastal evacuations have already started on Monday. Hundreds of thousands of people are called upon to find safety.
On the east coast of Florida already strong gusts of wind came and it rained violently. There were hardly any people on the street near the coast, and in the evening the authorities in some places imposed an exit ban. South of the center of the US space agency Nasa in Cape Canaveral on Tuesday evening gusts were measured with a speed of 85 kilometers per hour.
The storm had eased on Tuesday at steady wind speeds of up to 175 kilometers per hour and had been downgraded to a category two hurricane. He is still considered extremely dangerous. According to the US Hurricane Center, some of the levels rose up to 5.5 meters above normal.
NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY HANDOUT / EPA-EFE / REX
