Wednesday, September 4, 2019
By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
MARINAS in the path of Hurricane Dorain were as a prepared as they could be however Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) executive director Basil Smith noted the storm’s fury could not have been anticipated.
Mr Smith told Tribune Business: “I have three members that have been affected in Abaco: Treasure Cay, Hope Town Inn & Marina and Abaco Beach Resort and Marina. I’ve been unable to make contact with any of them after the hurricane’s eye was within a few miles of Marsh Harbour, after that all phone communication died. “Of course, none of them, nor any of us, could have anticipated the fury of this hurricane that started our some days ago as an unassuming tropical storm.
“Treasure Cay had some boats in the marina, which had been well secured. Hope Town Inn & Marina and Abaco Beach Resort & Marina were both closed. As the storm approached, all three expressed confidence that they were as well prepared as they could be.”
He continued: “Romora Bay Marina and Valentines Marina on Harbour Island have come through well and should require only some cosmetic tidying up to be back in business. The Grand Bahama, the Grand Bahama Yacht Club emptied its marina of boats days ago in preparation for Dorian’s arrival. I spoke to the marina’s manager this evening and she said they were fully prepared.
“I will maintain contact and pass on any information I receive. Hopefully, as Dorian moves on communication with the Abaco members will resume. I will pass on any information I get.”
The ABM in a notice posted on its Facebook page yesterday said: “We have been receiving reports of people from the US trying to boat to the Abacos to help with relief efforts. Under no circumstances should any private vessel try and reach the islands at this time.
“The current US and Bahamian government efforts are to get people OUT of the impacted areas of the Abacos and Grand Bahama. There is tons of debris floating and under the water, there is nowhere to tie up, there is are no warehousing facilities for goods delivered, roads on the islands are NOT passable and communications with the islands are still at a bare minimum.”
It added: “We understand there is a strong desire to take action and help these communities and the offers of assistance and support have been overwhelming. Our goal is to consolidate as many efforts under the smallest number of umbrella organizations as possible in order to increase buying power and decrease the number of vessels heading to the islands with supplies. Right now we are recommending funnelling as much of the relief effort through the Bahamas Red Cross Society as possible.”
Comments
ThisIsOurs says...
a good exercise for the govt or private engineering/meteorological groups would be to map out the path of the hurricane and match it to photos of structural damage and resident accounts of their experiences. Based on location not everyone would have gotten 180/200mph winds. People might get the false belief that they could weather a similar storm if they got through with minor damage this time not realizing that they didnt face the full brunt of the storm. On the other hand I don't know of anyone who'd want to stand in the face of that sea.
Posted 5 September 2019, 6:50 a.m. Suggest removal
Giordano says...
They (The government) also committed the same mistakes,again, of not preparing the land before the storm by cutting all branches of trees near any house as well as cleaning all streets dranaiges and building new filtrations holes wherever copious raining waters meet on the streets of every neighborhoods eventhough great announcements of a famous "Line Of Credit Of $ 100.00 Millions" was made with much anticipation ,before hurracain Dorian started to approach The Bahamas.
If the government would has complied with this essential,critical duties,the AFTERMATH of Dorian and many others hurricane would be significantly decreased. Too much of the same mistakes keep leading us to uncertainty and a dark future because of the lack of vission in elected leaders.
I hope they take notes and use the experience from many others hurricanes.
If one doesn't know how to defend like a man,one would be crying like a woman later.
This is now,not time to point fingers at anybody but these kind of mistakes need to be corrected ASAP.
Posted 5 September 2019, 10:22 a.m. Suggest removal
Giordano says...
This is also a time,before it's too late,to consider a change in "The Building Code Of The Bahamas" .
Those shingles on the roof and stock-out houses should be replaced by concrete everywhere and on top of that, a mandatory bunker or subterranean infrastructure with little interconnected neighboring ones at different levels ,at least 60 feets deep from surface,should be builded and properly supplied with all can goods,oxigen,vitamins and meds by the government before building any further new house by owner which should start to build 10 feets Above Surface as a way to protect the mentioned bunker (below) from floods,man made disasters like use of biological weapons etc.
All potential,undesirable events are possible to happen in current and near future generations to come and human life should be preserved at all costs without any contaminants including government and private corruption.
Posted 5 September 2019, 11:10 a.m. Suggest removal
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