Hurricane Dorian – Its Impact on the Bahamas…

Hurricane Dorian was the strongest storm of the Atlantic 2019 season so far, with sustained winds of up to 185mph it was the most intense tropical cyclone on record to ever hit the Bahamas.

What was the damage?

Hurricane Dorian devastated the Abaco Islands and the Bahamas, not only because the storm was so powerful, but because it was also very slow moving.

Once Dorian made landfall in Elbow Bay, Grand Bahama, it moved as slowly as 1mph, causing relentless winds and rain for almost 24 hours before losing intensity from a Category 5 to a Category 1 storm, and moving on towards mainland USA.

This 24-hour period caused catastrophic damage and loss of life in the Bahamas due the prolonged, and violent, storm conditions.

The Bahamas recorded record breaking winds, rain and a huge storm surge causing damage to thousands of homes. A total of 61 fatalities were attributed to the storm and hundreds of people remain missing. Loss of life was also recorded in Puerto Rico, Florida and North Carolina bringing the total fatalities to 71.

Economic cost was also severe, the Bahamas have estimated that its loss could be as much as $7 billion (USD). The United States have reported losses over $1 billion and Canada over $70 million.

What’s next for the Bahamas?

While Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands have a long road to recovery ahead of them, many of the islands are still open for business.

“One of the best ways that people from around the world can show their support and solidarity with The Bahamas at this time, is to visit our other islands by air or by cruise ship,” Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said this week. “To keep our economy strong in order to help with recovery and reconstruction, we will need to keep our booming tourism economy vibrant.”

If you’re thinking of travelling to the Bahamas make sure you consider your travel insurance needs before you go. Direct Travel have a panel of UK insurers, so we aim to have insurance products to suit every need. Call us to discuss your options, on 0330 880 3600. We’re here Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm, Sat 8.30am - 4pm, Closed Sunday.. .