Effects of Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas And how u can help

The effects of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas were among the worst experienced for any natural disaster in the country. Hurricane Dorian struck the Abaco Islands as a Category 5 hurricane on September 1, and a day later hit Grand Bahama Island at the same category. The hurricane then stalled over Grand Bahama for another day, finally pulling away from the island on September 3. Damage was estimated at over US$7 billion, and there were at least 65 deaths in the country. Another 282 people were left missing after the

On September 1, the eye of Hurricane Dorian made landfall on the Abaco Islands with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h), making it the strongest hurricane on record to affect the Bahamas.On September 2, the eye of Dorian moved over the eastern end of Grand Bahama Island, and drifted across the island. Bahamian Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard reported an estimated storm tide of 20 to 25 ft (6.1 to 7.6 m) at his home on Grand Bahama . Dorian also dropped an estimated 3.0 ft (0.91 m) of rain over the Bahamas.

Hurricane Dorian killed at least 65 people in the Bahamas – 54 on Abaco and 11 on Grand Bahama.One of the fatalities was classified as indirect. Damage was preliminarily estimated at more than US$7 billion.Insured losses alone were confirmed to be at least US$1 billion. Across the Bahamas, the storm left at least 70,000 people homeless.An estimated 13,000 homes, constituting 45% of the homes on the Abacos and Grand Bahama, suffered severe damage or were completely destroyed .

> What do people need most after a hurricane?

Mercy Corps team member Karla Peña, left, demonstrates a water filtration system in Puerto Rico. She is also responding to Hurricane Dorian. Angel Valentin for Mercy Corps

Mercy Corps team member Karla Peña waits on the tarmac in Nassau, Bahamas to board a helicopter to the Abaco Islands. PHOTO: Christy Delafield/Mercy Corps

We know from our response in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria that people will need electricity alternatives as companies work to restore power, especially in remote areas. They’ll also need access to temporary shelter, clean water and food.

The affected islands were completely inundated with sea water so safe, clean drinking water will be a critical priority.

"With so many groups and organizations on the ground, we have to be sure we're not overlapping efforts," says Karla Peña, Puerto Rico director and responder in the Bahamas.

"In Puerto Rico, we worked with local organizations who were able to take us to communities that had gotten no help at all yet, even long after the storm. That's what I'm focused on, talking with local Bahamian groups so we can get the deeper story on what is happening and where people are who are most in need. If you don't have anyone local in the conversation, you won't know who hasn't been reached."

As the impacts of climate change continue to compound, extreme storms like these will grow in intensity and frequency — and they will particularly affect communities that are already living in vulnerable situations. People in the Bahamas will need long-term support to recover from this hurricane and help them prepare for and build resilience to future storms.

> How is Mercy Corps helping?

Our team is surveying the affected islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama and is distributing solar lanterns and clean water. We are committed to reaching 3,000 families with emergency kits which include: mosquito nets, tarps, jerry cans, chlorine tablets to purify water, and rope.

We purchased supplies that were locally available in Nassau for some of our initial deliveries, including jugs of water and other essentials.

We've joined forces with Mission Resolve Foundation to bring clean drinking water to residents and several medical facilities on Grand Bahama island through the installation of a water treatment plant.

The system consists of two reverse osmosis water purifiers that are currently generating around 7,500 gallons of potable water each day. After desalination and remineralization, the water is chlorinated before distribution to the public — according to standards set by the World Health Organization, Grand Bahama Port Authority and the local Department of Environmental Health Services — so it is safe to drink. Mercy Corps has begun delivering safe drinking water from the system to several health facilities and to individuals through a public tap stand at the Freeport YMCA.

“Providing communities with a reliable source of clean drinking water means they don’t need to purchase bottled water,” says Mugur Dumitrache, senior water and sanitation advisor for Mercy Corps. “It’s not just that we want to reduce plastic waste — which is significant when an entire island is reliant on bottled water — but bringing in and trucking bottled water takes up urgently-needed space on planes, ships and on the roads at a time when so many other supplies are needed.”

As we access the more hard-hit areas of the affected islands, our team is also distributing solar lanterns equipped with USB chargers so that people can charge essential devices, given the extensive electrical blackouts. Solar lanterns provide people with greater safety and security as they move about after dark. Having the ability to charge phones will enable people to reach out to emergency services, get notices from authorities, learn about distributions of emergency supplies and contact their loved ones.

We have distributed 100 solar lanterns so far, including 40 to a healthcare center in Marsh Harbor, 30 to a hospital in Freeport and, through a local organization called Hands for Hunger, 30 lanterns to the smaller affected island of Little Abaco. We have another 500 solar lanterns that we are bringing to the Bahamas.

So far, communities are telling us their most pressing needs are clean water, shelter, basic household items, and in some cases, evacuation to another island. Our team is meeting with emergency managers and other responding organizations to coordinate our response efforts and mobilize supplies.

> You can help by donation 

Government agencies, including the US Coast Guard, NGOs, other relief organizations, and even the luxury cruise industry (which has had a rocky relationship with the Bahamas) are on the ground, responding to the disaster, helping people in need.

If you’re looking to donate, Charity Navigator has a list of many organizations raising money for the Bahamas, and rank them in terms of their effectiveness of channeling your money directly to the people in need.

If you’re looking to donate supplies, and want to know what’s needed, and where to drop it off, you can find that information  on Bahamas.com/relief And see below a list of the most-needed materials.