Hurricane Dorian Creates 'Utter Devastation' in Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm that then was downgraded to a Category 4 storm, wreaked havoc in the Bahamas after first hitting the islands on Sunday.

On Monday, winds were blowing at a sustained speed of 165 mph with potential for gusts at 200 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Marcus Moore, an ABC News correspondent on the ground on Avoca Island, said that he saw “utter devastation.”

“We are surrounded by water with no way out,” he said. “Absolute devastation, there really are no words it is pure hell here on Marsh Harbour on Avoca Island in the northern part of the Bahamas.”

In Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, people are bracing for the storm’s next hit.

“It is anticipated that the system will remain a dangerous major hurricane for the next several days,” according to the Hurricane Center.

Ingrid McIntosh told Eyewitness News that her grandson, Lachino, drowned in the Abaco Islands during the storm.

There are certain groups of people most at risk during natural disasters—which are becoming more extreme as politicians fail to create any meaningful changes to stop the climate crisis and fossil fuel industry—including marginalized groups such as poor people, people of color, children, women, the elderly, and those with physical disabilities. People who are outdoors or in unsafe structures, in particular workers, and people who live alone, like elderly women, also tend to be disproportionately hurt by extreme weather events.

If you’re looking for ways to keep track of the hurricane in real time, Earther has a guide.