The Dorian Disaster
Hurricane Dorian, the second most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record, smashed into the Bahamas and for 40 hours lashed Grand Bahama, the Abacos and other smaller northern islands with winds of 180 mph and more, 40 inches of rain and 20 foot storm surge. This catastrophic Category 5 storm left 70,000 people displaced, and an estimated 13,000 homes damaged or destroyed along with the majority of health facilities on Great Abaco.
In advance of the storm, Americares positioned emergency responders in Florida, and the team quickly moved to the Bahamian capital, Nassau, to make assessments and coordinate response activities.
The team focused first on meeting the physical and mental health needs of survivors and restoring health services in the communities most affected by the storm. Six months later, Americares health programs for survivors continued, supporting vulnerable families and communities navigating the long road to recovery. Photo by Alex Ostasiewicz – Watch the video of a survivor of the total devastation in Bahamas and his story of recovery.