- Title: Wind bears down on Bahamas as Matthew nears
- Date: 5th October 2016
- Summary: NASSAU, BAHAMAS (OCTOBER 05, 2016) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF COASTAL AREA PALM TREES BLOWING IN THE WIND VARIOUS OF ROCK FORMATION IN CARIBBEAN SEA MORE OF PALM TREES BLOWING IN THE WIND POOL AREA OF HOTEL MORE OF SHORELINE MORE OF PALM TREE BLOWING IN THE WIND
- Embargoed: 20th October 2016 21:15
- Keywords: Nassau Matthew winds storm hurricane Hurricane Matthew
- Location: NASSAU, BAHAMAS / INTERNET
- City: NASSAU, BAHAMAS / INTERNET
- Country: Bahamas
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents
- Reuters ID: LVA00152QE1C7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The busy resorts of the Bahamas were deserted on Wednesday (October 05) as Hurricane Matthew churned towards the island nation, after killing at least 21 people in Haiti and four other in the Dominican Republic and prompting region-wide warnings of further devastation.
The hurricane, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, whipped Cuba and Haiti with 140 mile-per-hour (230 kph) winds and torrential rains on Tuesday (October 04), pummelling towns and destroying livestock, crops and homes.
Officials in the Bahamas urged residents to evacuate to higher ground and the Ministry for Grand Bahama said on Facebook that government offices in New Providence and Grand Bahama were closed until further notice.
Matthew was a Category 4 hurricane through Tuesday (October 04) but was downgraded to still powerful Category 3 early on Wednesday (October 05), the U.S. National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said.
The storm had sustained winds of about 120 miles per hour (195 kph) on Wednesday (October 05) afternoon but the NHC said it could strengthen over warm waters as it approaches Florida. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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