Providenciales, TCI, October 7, 2016 – In our continuing coverage of the effect of Hurricane Matthew on The Bahamas, we were late last night investigating the frightening reports that children were among those drowning in Pinder’s Point, a southern community in Grand Bahama; an area devastated by storm surges in both 2004 hurricanes and in 2005s Hurricane Wilma.
In the wee hours of the morning, Magnetic Media did speak to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force command in Nassau, where it was only revealed that there has been no call for help. Tammi Mitchell at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Freeport, Grand Bahama said they had heard the cry for help for Pinder’s Point but with the storm still being so ferocious, they could not go into that community to verify the report or to execute a rescue. Earlier, Mitchell said Defense Force, Police and Bahamas Air and Sea Rescue or BASRA were all on stand-by; ready to assist when it is safe to do so.
We can tell you that door to door ‘get out of dodge’ campaigns featuring disaster management officials, government agents, local government representatives and the RBDF were vigorous in these vulnerable districts. Many heeded, but all did not and it may be that they have put both themselves and their children in grave danger.
Hurricane Matthew is passed Grand Bahama now but the island is still being lashed by the storm with tropical storm force winds which extend 185 miles from center. Despite some news of it circulating that two teens died in Elizabeth Estates in Nassau, there is still no deaths reported for The Bahamas said NEMA early this morning. The northwest Bahamas remains under Hurricane warning.
