Hurricane Irene slams the Bahamas

Nassau has been spared the worst as Irene batters much of the Bahamas islands.

Travel Insurance News - 25/08/2011

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Hurricane Irene has slammed into the Bahamas islands, leaving homes destroyed and communities devastated. The storm, which is packing winds of 115mph and is rated a category three, is expected to gather strength as it tracks towards the east coast of the USA.

Lovely Bay, a community on remote Acklins Island, has been hit extremely hard but officials in the Bahamas say there have not been any immediate reports of casualties. The massive storm has knocked out power and flooded areas throughout the Caribbean.

The USA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported from its offices in Miami that the storm was centred 115kms north north-east of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, as of 3pm GMT Thursday. Forecasters said the storm was closing in on Abaco Island, which lies in north-west Bahamas.

The projected path of the hurricane is expected to see it head far offshore from central and northern Florida’s east coast later on Thursday and into early Friday, says the NHC. By Saturday, Irene is expected to arrive at the North Carolina coast.

Various reports indicate that Lovely Bay has been hit very hard. Reports came from NEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency and news sources, saying that homes have been washed away entirely.

Other homes are reported to have lost their roofs, downed trees block roads and power lines have collapsed. At Crooked Island, the storm’s winds exceeded 160kph, with NEMA reporting that one school had completely lost its roof and windows. Officials say people should remain indoors in safe and secure structures.

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