- Title: Bahamas govt warns tourists and residents to shelter from Dorian
- Date: 1st September 2019
- Summary: MARSH HARBOUR, BAHAMAS (AUGUST 31, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HARBOR
- Embargoed: 15th September 2019 04:54
- Keywords: Bahamas Hurricane Dorian
- Location: NASSAU + BIMINI + MARSH HARBOUR, BAHAMAS
- City: NASSAU + BIMINI + MARSH HARBOUR, BAHAMAS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Environment,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA002AUTSQX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Authorities in the Bahamas made a last-minute plea to residents and tourists on Saturday (August 31) to seek shelter as time ran out before powerful Hurricane Dorian hits, warning those that refused to move that their lives were at risk.
"Hurricane Dorian is a devastating, dangerous storm approaching our islands," Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said in a nationally televised news conference.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph), the Category 4 storm was forecast to hit the Bahamas on Sunday with more than two feet of rainfall in some places, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
"A prolonged period of life-threatening storm surge, devastating hurricane-force winds, and heavy rains capable of life-threatening flash floods are expected on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Sunday through Monday," the NHC said.
Dorian was later due to threaten Georgia and the Carolinas, possibly sparing Florida a direct hit, as communities in those states raised alert levels.
In its direct, immediate path the monster storm was headed for the Bahamian northwestern islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco.
Potential damage caused by Dorian's winds and storm surge could be exacerbated by the fact that its westward motion over the Bahamas is forecast to slow down keeping it over the islands for longer, the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.
Once the storm unleashes its fury on the archipelago nation, people will have to ride out Dorian before first responders can venture outside to rescue anyone.
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