(Newswire.net — September 2, 2019) — Hurricane Dorian, the strongest storm on the planet this year, has hit the northern Bahamas, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
An eight-year-old boy has been killed after Dorian made landfall at Great Abaco Island on Sunday, the Guardin reports.
Hurricane Dorian – a Category 5 storm– touched down on the Abacos Islands on Sunday afternoon. With sustained winds of 180 mph (289 kph) and gusts of 220 mph (354 kph), the storm is the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, the National Hurricane Center reports.
Footage of the huge damage the hurricane left behind has appeared on social media.
CNN reports that several houses on Abaco Island have been destroyed and many people are left homeless.
Prior to Dorian’s arrival, the U.S. National Hurricane Center had warned Bahamas residents not to leave their homes as a shock is expected that could raise water levels up to seven meters.
The hurricane was tearing roofs from houses, overturning cars, causing extensive damage to infrastructure, creating water and electricity outages, but no serious injuries or casualties have been reported so far, AP reports.
Dorian, which has grown into a category five hurricane, meaning it can cause catastrophic levels of devastation, is the strongest hurricane to hit the Bahamas in recent history.
Dorian is expected to pass over the Abaco Island later on Sunday evening, before hitting Grand Bahama. Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced an evacuation order for parts of Grand Bahama and urged all tourists to leave the area.
Hotels are closed and hundreds of people have found shelter in schools, churches and other structurally strong buildings.
After the Bahamas, the hurricane is expected to hit the U.S. coast.
From Grand Bahama, Dorian is forecast to track northwards slowly and to graze along the east coast of Florida.
Residents of the Sunshine State have already begun stockpiling supplies and boarding up buildings, while at least one county has issued an evacuation order.