On Sep. 1, category five Hurricane Dorian struck the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. Dorian moved at an alarmingly slow rate and at some points even came to a complete standstill on top of the Abaco Islands. The storm finally made landfall in North Carolina on Friday, Sep. 6. Throughout its nine-day route, Dorian reached a maximum of wind speed of 183 mph. The strength of this storm resulted in mass destruction in the Bahamas as well as mass casualties.
As of Sunday, Sep. 15, the death toll was 50 people, according to BBC. However, the Bahamas Press on Twitter says that they are expecting that number to rise to an astonishing 3,000 or more. Right now, the people of the Abaco Islands are fighting for survival. Most of the islanders lost their homes, belongings and even, in many cases, loved ones. The islands are experiencing extremely high crime rates as looters are stealing food and valuables from places unaffected by the hurricane.
Courtesy: NBC News
Now that Hurricane Dorian has passed, there are many ways to help those devasted in your local community. Currently, there are a few businesses in Tallahassee accepting donations for Hurricane Relief in the Bahamas.
QT Cakesis a locally owned business in Tallahassee, owned by a Bahamian-American woman. The owner is currently in the Bahamas and wants to help her Bahama community. The business is accepting donations at the Apalachee Parkway location. All donations are appreciated but the most needed supplies are “canned foods, hygiene items, gently used clothing and tents.”
The American Red Cross is also accepting monetary donations. This organization aids in disaster relief across America but is specifically focusing on Dorian damage right now. You can also apply to volunteer in the Bahamas or right here in Tallahassee.
Some counties will also be housing many survivors of the storm and need donations, such as blankets, sleeping bags, food and toiletries. One of the organizations sponsoring over 45 women and children is the Salty Shoe in Horseshoe Beach, FL. This company is partnering with Camp Anderson in Old Town, FL to take in 50 women and children. While they are looking for material donations, they are also needing volunteers to help sort the donations and make sure they have everything they need. The Salty Shoe is approximately 2 hours south of Tallahassee on US Highway 19/98.
Several people in Valdosta, Georgia are also taking up donations for the Bahamian people. While the only drop off locations are in Valdosta (about 75 miles Northeast of Tallahassee), there are links to donate monetarily on their website. The website goes into detail about the items that are needed the most and links an Amazon wish list that they’ve created.
Courtesy: The Atlantic
This is just a small list of ways to help those in need in the Abaco Islands. Hurricane Dorian left the islands devastated. Many of the islands are still flooded and covered in debris, almost unrecognizable due to the amount of wreckage. While the amount of support that the survivors have received is immense, there’s still an excruciatingly long way to go until the islands are back to normal.