Hurricane Dorian, which has already devastated large parts of the Bahamas this week, has made landfall in the United States for the first time with winds of up to 90mph.The category one storm came ashore on Friday morning at Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where more than 200,000 homes and businesses in the state were without power.Slow-moving Dorian slammed into the Bahamas last Sunday when it was at maximum category five strength with winds of 185mph and 220mph gusts.At least 30 people have been killed in the island nation of nearly 400,000, and up to 13,000 homes were destroyed but authorities said the final number of dead could be "staggering".Hundreds, possibly thousands, of people are missing and the destruction was said to be "apocalyptic". One of the worst-hit areas was the Abaco Islands. Advertisement Video footage from the town of Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island showed workers in white protective suits and wearing face masks and rubber … [Read more...] about Hurricane Dorian makes landfall in US as Bahamas death toll set to be ‘staggering’
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Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas in ‘hour of darkness’ as storm hits Canada
The prime minister of the Bahamas has said the islands are in their "hour of darkness" following the onslaught of Hurricane Dorian, which is now wreaking havoc in Canada after moving north up the US east coast.Conditions have "rapidly" deteriorated in the Caribbean since the tropical cyclone hit earlier this week, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless and damage of around $3bn (£2.4bn) to insured property.The official number of dead - 43 - is also expected to rise as the situation becomes clearer. Eyewitness: Dorian's aftermath Amanda Walker is one of the first journalists to reach High Rock, in the Bahamas. After wreaking havoc in the US state of North Carolina, Dorian arrived on the Atlantic coast of Canada on Saturday, bringing with it heavy rain and powerful winds that have toppled a construction crane in Halifax and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of people.Warnings remain in place that heavy items could be swept up and cause damage, with the National … [Read more...] about Hurricane Dorian: Bahamas in ‘hour of darkness’ as storm hits Canada
Hurricane Dorian: Nobody knows how many lived – and died – at Ground Zero
Our helicopter pilot banked sharply to the right so that I could see the ground beneath us, but I couldn't see any ground - just a mass of splintered wood and rubble, huge piles of it.That was our first glimpse of the shanty town on Abaco Island known as Mudd and Pigeon Peas.Home to thousands of unofficial residents mainly from Haiti, the community has been utterly and completely destroyed. There is nothing left. It is impossible to identify what were houses, what were roads. It has all been smashed to pieces by the thunderous power of Hurricane Dorian.Parts of the Bahamian islands have been described by US officials as if they had been hit by a nuclear bomb. Mudd and Pigeon Peas is ground zero.Nobody knows how many people died here. That anyone survived at all is a near miracle in itself.Whatever the current official figures for the numbers of people who died in this town read, they are almost certainly wrong.For a start nobody actually knows how many people lived in Mudd and Pigeon … [Read more...] about Hurricane Dorian: Nobody knows how many lived – and died – at Ground Zero
Why has Hurricane Dorian stalled over the Bahamas?
by Tom Acres, technology reporterHurricane Dorian may have been downgraded from the highest category five to a category three storm, but that has been no comfort to thousands of people living under its eye in the Bahamas.The tropical cyclone has stalled over the region, hovering dangerously for more than 40 hours, killing several people and unleashing massive flooding.It is expected to move on to the east Florida coast by Wednesday evening, before heading north to coastal Georgia and South Carolina. The US is braced for potential devastating damage there, but the storm's slow-moving speed has already been catastrophic for the Caribbean islands.Some of the most devastating hurricanes in recent memory have caused more damage because they have lingered in one place.Sky News takes a look at just why that is. Why do hurricanes stall?Experts say the increasing warmth of the ocean and air is making hurricanes wetter and slower.Data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration … [Read more...] about Why has Hurricane Dorian stalled over the Bahamas?
Hurricane Dorian: Five killed in Bahamas as storm causes ‘catastrophic’ damage
At least five people have been killed in the Bahamas as Hurricane Dorian batters the region.Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis confirmed the deaths on Monday, adding that there are also people in nearby Grand Bahama island who are in serious distress.He said rescue crews will respond to calls for help as soon as weather conditions allow."We are in the midst of a historic tragedy," he said, calling the devastation "unprecedented and extensive".At least 21 people have been injured in the storm, currently graded as a category three, and there are also widespread power cuts. Hurricanes are rated from category one to five based on sustained wind speed, with a category three meaning "devastating damage will occur".By Monday night, Dorian had been hovering over Grand Bahama for almost 40 hours with maximum sustained winds of 145mph (233kph).It is expected to stay in roughly the same place until at least Tuesday morning local time. It is about 100 miles east of Florida's West Palm Beach. … [Read more...] about Hurricane Dorian: Five killed in Bahamas as storm causes ‘catastrophic’ damage
Tropical Storm Gordon: What we know Tuesday a.m.
Tropical Storm Gordon, a relatively compact system with most of its "convective banding" east of the center of circulation, will make landfall late Tuesday night along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane advised in its 7 a.m. Tuesday update.The watches and warnings are unchanged: all of southeast Louisiana is under a tropical storm warning and flood watch. A storm surge watch is in effect for the areas west of Shell Beach to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Acadiana Business Today: More on Bell helicopter deal, Bill Bacque’s real estate trends, a new restaurant & more Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Gordon, with max winds at 65 miles per hour, is about 190 miles east-southeast of the mouth of Mississippi River and moving quickly toward the west-northwest at 15 mph, the NHC said in its 7 a.m. update.On the forecast track, the … [Read more...] about Tropical Storm Gordon: What we know Tuesday a.m.