Hurricane Isaias lashes the Bahamas while Florida awaits for its turn

Hurricane Isaias ripped shingles off roofs and blew over trees as it carved its way through the Bahamas early on Saturday and headed toward the Florida coast, where officials in Miami said they were closing beaches, marinas and parks.

Miami’s mayor, Carlos Giménez, said on Friday that 20 evacuation centers were on standby that could be set up with Covid-19 safety measures.

“We still don’t think there is a need to open shelters for this storm, but they are ready,” he said.

Authorities in North Carolina ordered the evacuation of Ocracoke Island, which was slammed by last year’s Hurricane Dorian, starting Saturday evening. Meanwhile, officials in the Bahamas evacuated people on Abaco island, who have been living in temporary structures since Dorian. People living in the eastern end of Grand Bahama were also being moved.

Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 85mph (135kph) on Saturday morning and some strengthening was possible later Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said. The storm was centered about 80 miles (125km) south-south-east of Nassau in the Bahamas and was moving north-west at 12mph (19kph). Forecasters said some decrease in its forward motion was expected.

Paula Miller, Mercy Corps director for the Bahamas, told the Associated Press that while the islands can normally withstand strong hurricanes, some have been destabilized by the coronavirus pandemic and the damage caused by Dorian.

“With everything not quite shored up, property not secured, home not prepared, even a category 1 will be enough to set them back,” she said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Florida’s east coast from Boca Raton, just north of Miami, about 150 miles (241km) north to the Volusia-Brevard county line. A hurricane watch was in effect from Hallendale Beach to south of Boca Raton.

Ron DeSantis, Florida’s governor, said the state was “fully prepared for this and any future storm during this hurricane season”, with stockpiles of personal protective equipment, generators, bottled water and meals ready to be distributed.

But he urged people to have seven days of food, water and medication on hand and said state-run coronavirus testing sites in the areas where the storm could hit would be closed.

Miami’s mayor said that social-distancing measures prompted by Covid-19 meant each person in shelters needed to have 40 sq ft (3.7 sq meters) and no more cafeteria-style dining would be allowed. People who are infected with the new coronavirus and need to evacuate will be isolated in classrooms separate from the general population, Giménez said.

A hurricane warning was in effect for north-west and central Bahamas.

“Continue to hunker down,” said Trevor Basden, director of the Bahamas meteorology department.

Two of those islands, Abaco and Grand Bahama, were battered by Dorian, a category 5 storm that hovered over the area for two days and killed at least 70 people, with more than 280 reported missing. People are still living in tents on both islands, and officials said crews tried to remove leftover debris ahead of Isaias.

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis relaxed a coronavirus lockdown as a result of the storm, but imposed a 10pm to 5am curfew. He said supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and hardware stores would be open as long as weather permitted.

The Bahamas has reported more than 570 confirmed Covid-19 cases and at least 14 deaths. It recently barred travelers from the US following a surge in cases after it reopened to international tourism.

Source: Associated Press