Hurricane-ravaged Bahamas brace for new storm
There’s more trouble for the hurricane-ravaged Bahamas. Tropical Storm Humberto is threatening Grand Bahama Island, creating new worries for more than 2,000 people living in shelters and those trying to rebuild their homes after Hurricane Dorian.
As of 11 a.m. ET, the storm was about 30 miles east-northeast of Great Abaco Island and about 145 miles east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, the National Hurricane Center said Saturday. Tropical Storm Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was nearly stationary for several hours.
Humberto is forecast to move away from the northwestern Bahamas by Saturday evening and become a hurricane by Sunday evening. By then, the storm will be moving away from the U.S.
A group organized by retired Navy Seals and the conservation group Sea Shepherd has been loading up supplies to send to remote islands that may be impacted by the approaching storm. When CBS News caught up with them, the group had four tons of essentials — food, water and generators — it had loaded onto a ship.
Residents are doing whatever they can to prepare. With few boats intact, locals are shuttling them to the few dozen people who remain. “I mean, we really don’t need another hurricane. As you can see, we don’t need another one. But we just have to prepare,” Sinetra Higgs told CBS News.
National Hurricane Center
Hurricane Dorian devastated the northern Bahamas. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, homes shredded, shipping containers and boats hurled inland. Some airports were submerged, while terminals were covered in debris.
Some residents remain frustrated at the government’s response, especially with another storm on the way. Many residents said that the only assistance they’ve gotten came from foreigners — and that they’re still living without cell service, power and running water.
The Bahamian government said it’s coordinating relief efforts from Nassau. But since most of the field teams come from private foreign aid groups, that’s all the residents in hard-hit communities see.
Errol Barnett contributed to this report.
