Coastal flooding, evacuations reported across northwest Bahamas
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — More than 500 people are currently in government shelters as Tropical Storm Nicole creeps through the northwest Bahamas, making landfall in Abaco with forecasted strengthening to hit East End, Grand Bahama as a hurricane later this afternoon.
Chief Meteorologist Geoffrey Greene has confirmed that based on the latest track, Tropical Storm Nicole is not likely to become a hurricane over Abaco, but will strengthen as it crosses East End, Grand Bahama around 5pm.
The center of Nicole made landfall on Elbow Cay in the Abacos at 11:55am, according to The Bahamas Department of Meteorology.
At 1pm, Nicole was 40 miles east-southeast of Sweeting’s Cay, Grand Bahama and moving toward the west near 12 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts.
In a video message, Prime Minister Philip Davis underscored that the late-season storm was the country’s new reality.
Davis is attending the United Nations climate conference COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, where he said he is making the point that vulnerable small-island states can’t fight climate change alone.
“You must remember, this is our new reality,” Davis said.
“This is our new reality and you have to become accustomed to events such as this. That’s why we are here making the point that we can’t do it alone. Our new reality is not as a result of what we would have done, but what the industrial world would have done.”
He continued: “And therefore they have to come to the rescue of small island development states such as ours.. that is the one voice that you are hearing throughout the theme here – all the leaders from the small island, developing states are now joining the voice that something has to be done and done now.
At a 10am press conference, officials reported there are a total of 528 people in government shelters, with the majority of those residents in Abaco.
In Abaco, there are nine people at the Sandypoint Community Centre. Amy Roberts Primary School has three people, Central Abaco Primary School has 250 people, Faith-walk Church of God has 11 people and Friendship Tabernacle has 217 people.
At latest update, there are nine individuals in the shelter on Guana Cay, and with Friendship Tabernacle and Central Abaco Primary reaching their capacity, the shelter at Patrick J. Bethel High School in Murphy Town has been activated.
In Central Grand Bahama, Christ the King Special Needs Shelter is housing 11 people, in Maurice Moore Primary School there are 33 people. Central Church of God and Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church have seven people each, and Revelations Faith Apostolic International has six people.
In West Grand Bahama, Bethels Deliverance Center has checked in 16 people and the Church of God of Prophesy in Pinedale has one person.
Local Government liaison to NEMA Terrence Bootle-Laing said that there is coastal flooding in Little Abaco, Blackwood, and Green Turtle Cay with increasing winds and power outages on Grand Cay.
She added that they have received reports from Family Island administrators of power outages in West Grand Bahama, adding that additional residents had to be evacuated out of East End, Grand Bahama.
Bootle-Laing explained that intense flooding in Central Abaco and other associated weather conditions from Tropical Storm Nicole has limited communication due to downed power lines, and fallen trees in McClain’s Town and Sweetings Cay.
For the safety of the public, the Ministry of Works enacted road closures in New Providence on West Bay Street with the assistance of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Those areas include Ferguson Road to Saunders Beach, from Saunders Beach to Goodmans Bay, from the Sandy Port entrance to Blake Road, and from Blake Road to Gambier.
Residents in New Providence have also been advised to avoid Western Esplanade, Arawak Cay, and Western Road which are blocked by debris and flooding.
Health officials said that they are continuing to encourage people to stay out of harm’s way and that teams have administered medication and treatments to individuals in their care. At that time, there had been no reports of any major incidents, emergencies, injuries, or mortalities.
A hurricane warning remains in effect for the islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco, and the Berry Islands; and a tropical storm warning is in effect for the island of Bimini. This means conditions could be experienced in the above-mentioned islands within 36 hours.
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