By Khrisna Russell
Tribune Staff Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
AS “potentially devastating” category five Hurricane Irma approaches the Bahamas, government officials are in the process of making flight arrangements to evacuate residents from the southeast islands, The Tribune understands.
This will include voluntary evacuations in Mayaguana and Inagua on Wednesday, government sources confirmed.
These details among others are expected to be confirmed at 7pm Tuesday during a press briefing where Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis is expected to lay out further government plans ahead of Irma’s landfall.
On Irma's current track, residents in the southern Bahamas could expect to begin feeling effects of the storm by Thursday.
Earlier Tuesday, officials placed the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands under a hurricane watch. This includes the islands of Inagua, Acklins and Crooked Island, Mayaguana, Long Cay, Samana Cay, Ragged Island and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
This means these areas can feel impact of Hurricane Irma within 48 hours.
Irma is currently moving toward the Leeward Islands.
More on this developing story will be posted in a later update.
More like this story
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- Hurricane Irma: PM announces emergency evacuations from MICAL, Ragged Island
- South islands put on Maria alert
- UPDATED: Office of the Prime Minister releases statement on Hurricane Fiona
Comments
The_Oracle 7 years, 2 months ago
Smart move. Safety first, rebuild after. Conserve resources for more heavily populated islands, hopefully it will not be needed. Meanwhile, the source from which all goods flow, Florida, looks to take the brunt. Is anyone thinking of alternate chains of supply if West Palm/Lauderdale get hit hard?
SP 7 years, 2 months ago
Perhaps V. Alfred Gray could be of assistance in identifying caves our Southern brothers can hide in to ride out Erma instead of evacuating the islands? NOT!!
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