By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE National Emergency Management Agency says evacuation plans should be considered this hurricane season for Central Abaco, Grand Bahama, Salina Point in Acklins and Spanish Wells in Eleuthera.
The agency revealed this in a list on Sunday that identified hurricane shelters on islands throughout the country but notably none for those four areas.One hundred and twenty six shelters were identified in total.
On June 6 Bahamas Information Services published a list of shelters and said that for Central Abaco, Grand Bahama and Spanish Wells facilities were “actively being sought”.
In the revised list published on Sunday the advice for these islands - with the addition of Salina Point - was now that “evacuation plans should be considered”.
The recommendation of evacuation has some questioning the feasibility of this, especially for Grand Bahama and Central Abaco, areas damaged by Hurricane Dorian last year and that are still home to thousands of residents.
Iram Lewis, the Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, did not respond yesterday to this newspaper’s requests for comment. His discussion of shelters in his budget contribution yesterday was at odds with NEMA’s list––he said shelters have been identified for “all islands”. He added that 95 shelters have been identified in total and that they are in a state of readiness.
“In addition,” he said, “NEMA is currently communicating with other civic and religious organisations, specifically on the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. Many have indicated their facilities are available for use as hurricane shelters in the event of a storm. However, some remedial work is required. There is high expectation that the recently identified facilities will be added to the existing shelter list within the next 30 days.”
Asked about the evacuation plans for Grand Bahama and Central Abaco, NEMA director Captain Stephen Russell told The Tribune the agency is finalising a plan this week that will be sent to the minster and his team.
“The government has implemented mandatory evacuations,” he said. “If it becomes necessary we have to implement it, mobilising air, sea or facilities to accommodate evacuations. The minister and the permanent secretary for the disaster ministry, once they agree with our plan will further expound on it to the press.
“Absolutely I’m concerned because there is no shelter in Abaco, so in the event of a storm, there really needs to be an option, whether to the north or south or other area to evacuate,” Capt Russell said.
“I’ve not been appraised of details of an evacuation plan. Unlike southern islands where you might have five to six hundred people, here you got several thousand, five to six thousand people that would have to be evacuated. I don’t think it’s an easy exercise or an inexpensive one.”
Comments
DWW 4 years, 5 months ago
So do pets get forcefully evacuated too? what about the material possessions? One size does not fit all. How about doing some real actual work and properly identify flood zones instead of this cockamamie knee-jerk stuff?
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 5 months ago
Do you even know how many places that can be considered safe from flooding actually flooded in Dorian??
Nothing wrong with having a plan in place man.... suck teet….
Dorian showed us that one storm can upend all expectations. Nothing wrong with planning...
Hoda 4 years, 5 months ago
Did u listen or read the Minister contribution relative to this matter? The flood map was included and he said there are about three areas in GB above high water mark. So, you and your pets, in the event of a hurricane, may stay and wait for the ocean to come in land and then talk about how no one came to get you
The_Oracle 4 years, 5 months ago
Evacuate Grand Bahama? Population 30-35K? Are you going to just start at the beginning of hurricane season? BTW, Everyone whats to know what this flood Map is you said was shared with Businesses and residents prior to Dorian. NO ONE HAS SEEN IT.
joeblow 4 years, 5 months ago
The governments hurricane plan is "errybody pack up and leave". What if its a hurricane that comes right up the island chain? Where will people evacuate to then?
I have no confidence in any plans formulated by the government. From now on I think the office of the prime minister should keep an open line for suggestions from the general public for ALL major decisions they intend to make; only then some common sense suggestions may get through that won't break the bank or enrich cronies!
ohdrap4 4 years, 5 months ago
Years ago, during the impending threat of a hurricane, during a talk show, a caller asked such a question.
The alacritous host said:
"WE WILL ALL GO TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE"
tribanon 4 years, 5 months ago
Plan? Didn't Hurricane Season begin on June 1?
Seems Minnis is taking another page out of Trump's playbook....Trump said every state for itself in making Covid-19 plans. Now we see Minnis saying every island for itself in making hurricane plans. This of course will make it easier for Minnis to deflect blame for inadequate plans to the islands themselves when things go horribly wrong.
Anyone know how much longer Minnis is going to remain in hiding from the Free Press and Sands?
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 5 months ago
If we get another Dorian but hitting the island from the south side then yes ALL OF GB will have to be evacuated. Literally the entire island.....
But we will be able to tell a few days in advance. If Dorian were on the south side of GB I was gone way before it hit. But it wasn't, it was waaayyyyy to the north and east, Freeport never saw CAT 5 winds, but we definitely got CAT 5 water....
bogart 4 years, 5 months ago
The FLOOD ZONES MAPS should be produced in numbers and large size and showing at different levels. At increasing certain levels per foot rise the flood waters may then cover much larger land areas cutting out persons access making them further apart distances at times of possible rescue.
In conjunction with FLOOD ZONE MAPS the Building Inspectors should be examining the many structures which may have been patched up with the govt help to fix only the Hurricane damaged spots but there are other structural weaknesses because of owners financial inability to do maintenance. Lots of structures may look secure with good coat of paint but may be termite rot in rood etc.
Banks, Financial Institutions must ensure that ALL their Mortgaged Buildings, businesses vehicles etc have Conprehensive Homeowners Insurances WITH the current updated Replacement values and not undervalued values which will have law of averages applied.
Are the shelters capable of intake of homeless according to FLOOD ZONES population areas?
Is there contingency to assist people if Hurricane just batter any side of island where winds will damage and floods pushed to almost and height????
Are there facilities on other islands to act in union to assist other island(s) quickly???
Porcupine 4 years, 5 months ago
How many "shelters" in The Bahamas could withstand a Dorian? The best plan is realizing the the government of The Bahamas has no real plan.
Hoda 4 years, 5 months ago
I’m not criticizing your comment, but what plan is/was going to stop 20 ft of salt water and the damage it will cause. So are you talking about mass evacuation and shelters? Even if the shelters are hurricane proof, peoples homes aren’t, so if a Dorian like storm strikes, will be be back here again talking about how fast or slow are homes are being rebuilt, should the govt demand every living in flood prone areas move or put their homes on stilts, should they fund this hypothetical move, should they fund the renovation or upgrade of every home to a “hurricane proof” house, should insurers just say we aren’t offering policies to people who live in these areas.
Porcupine 4 years, 5 months ago
The plan to have adequate facilities to survive 2 days of intense storm conditions. That's all. Does even this plan exist? Nobody is going to stop the surge, so shelters must be above 25' sea level. Just survival we're talking about. Rebuilding is a whole nother story. If you don't survive the storm, rebuilding is a mute point.
Hoda 4 years, 5 months ago
Well, the article says 95 shelters are ready. There didnt seem to be a shortage of food after dorian. Bahamians said they shouldnt have to stand in line for food, or dont stand in line for food, whether that makes sense you tell me. We sure was standing on line at Bamboo shack on wullff road in the rain on saturday - either way that doesnt matter i guess
tribanon 4 years, 5 months ago
Minnis has a plan for all of us. It's called: "The Everyone for Themself Plan".
John 4 years, 5 months ago
Buy life jackets ( flotation devices) and rope. Will that help
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