Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater forward-deployed four MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews Tuesday in support of search and rescue and humanitarian aid in the Bahamas. Photo by U.S. Coast Guard/UPI
The extent of the damage Hurricane Dorian inflicted on the Bahamas became clearer Wednesday with aerial photography and residents telling stories of survival — while others still await rescue.
Thousands of homes along the storm’s paths sustained heavy damage. So far the confirmed death total from the storm is just seven, but that number is expected to rise as rescue and recovery efforts progress.
A photograph taken by satellite start-up Iceye estimated some 60 percent of the Grand Bahama Island was submerged Monday from heavy rain and the powerful storm surge when the Category 5 hurricane arrived.
“We are in the midst of one of the greatest national crises in our country’s history,” Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minis said Tuesday. “It is going to require a massive coordinated effort to rebuild.”
Journalist Tim Aylen shared video of his family’s escape in waist-high waters that flooded their home in Freeport.
“The water rose within two minutes in the house and was up to (the) windows,” Aylen said. “We thought about attic trap. Roof-no way safe. We found dry land.”
Stella's Place 
Such devastation over such a large area and on an island.
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The Bahamas is coming up on 50 years of independence as primarily a tourist (OK, and drug) economy. Its economy takes frequent hits from changes in tourist behavior and this latest mess is going to be a huge disaster as not only will the tourist trade infrastructure need to be rebuilt but the housing for the support personnel and support businesses, all the way up and down the line, will have to be rebuilt too.
I’m also betting that before tourist businesses rebuild we’re going to see new construction standards as we did in Miami, the old ‘anything goes for the tourist dollar’ days may be gone. Question is, how much money will the developers put back into rebuilding and to what degree will they be willing to improve the security of their properties considering expense and the probability that another hurricane will come and the tourist areas are at sea level.
Of equal issue is rebuilding the infrastructure. Many of the workers don’t make great wages, the cheapness of labor helps keep tourist prices lowish and their housing is going to be a big issue. Most, I’m betting, don’t have insurance and there’ll be issues in getting money to rebuild housing, especially if new construction standards are implemented. It’ll be expensive too as much of the construction materials will have to be imported, I just can’t see the government allowing the residents to rebuild using the pre-Dorian ‘Caribbean’ standards.
I’m betting that the government will let the rebuilding go at old standards while they ‘study’ new standards, they have to fire up the tourist industry, that’s really all they’ve got. They’re also going to need lots of foreign largesse, as does most of the Caribbean when any disaster strikes. So much for tourist based economies.
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What Samaritan’s Purse is doing. They are a good and effective charity, if you feel inclined to donate.
https://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/edward-graham-discusses-hurricane-dorian-response/
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They are one of my top charities to support. Thanks for highlighting them, stella.
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I support them too!
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