Dorian made landfall Sunday as the strongest hurricane ever experienced in the northwestern Bahamas.
READ MORE: Dorian makes landfall in Bahamas as Category 5 hurricane
The storm has battered the Caribbean country’s Abaco islands with sustained winds of nearly 300 km/h, and it’s expected to head northwest towards the U.S. early this week.
Here’s what’s happened so far.
WATCH: A look at what’s forecast for Hurricane Dorian as it continues towards Florida
How strong is it?
Dorian is a Category 5 — in the same class as hurricanes Katrina and Maria. (Category 5 is the most powerful and dangerous type of hurricane in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale).
The storm can be seen clearly from the International Space Station, as a video released by NASA on Sunday shows.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Dorian is currently tied for the second strongest hurricane on record with sustained winds of 298 km/h.
The agency is warning of potentially “catastrophic” damage.
WATCH: International Space Station captures stunning video of Hurricane Dorian
When is it hitting and where?
The storm made landfall twice in the Bahamian Abaco Islands, at Elbow Cay and Marsh Harbour, on Sunday afternoon. As of 7 p.m. it was headed for the eastern end of Grand Bahama.
NHC says the hazards are wind gusts at over 354 km/h and a storm surge of 5.5 metres to 7 metres above normal tide levels along with higher “destructive waves.”
“This is a life-threatening situation. Residents in the Abacos should continue to stay in their shelter as the eastern eyewall of Dorian remains over the area,” the agency said.
“Residents in eastern Grand Bahama will begin to experience the western eyewall soon.”
In the coming days, the hurricane is expected to head towards the U.S. — potentially leaving millions in its path — though it’s unclear exactly where Dorian could strike.
Hurricane or storm surge warnings and watches were issued for parts of Florida’s east coast on Sunday.
Even if the storm doesn’t make landfall in Florida, Georgia or the Carolinas, it could still pack a punch for coastal areas.
“Some weakening is expected (Sunday and Monday) as the storm slows down and lingers over the northern Bahamas,” said Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell.
“But Dorian is expected to remain a very dangerous and increasingly large storm into early next week as it skirts the U.S. east coast from Florida to the Carolinas.”
WATCH: Businesses brace for Hurricane Dorian in Florida, boarded up
What impact is Dorian having so far?
Authorities in the Bahamas say they are receiving preliminary reports of heavy damages in areas being pounded by Hurricane Dorian.
Joy Jibrilu, director general of the Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, told reporters there is a huge amount of damage to property and infrastructure from the hurricane crossing the northwest part of the island archipelago.
She adds “it’s devastating” but cautions that so far there is “luckily no loss of life reported.”
Residents on Abaco posted video on social media showing floodwaters halfway up the sides of single-family homes with parts of the roofs torn off.
Car alarms blared across the island, which was littered with twisted metal and splintered wood.
Forecasters predicted up to 76 centimetres of rain.
WATCH: Green Turtle Cay floods as Hurricane Dorian rips through Bahamas
Evacuation warnings were issued for parts of the Bahamas on Friday. On Sunday, mandatory orders were issued for coastal areas of Palm Beach County and Martin County in Florida.
“If you live in these areas, heed the warning and listen to your local officials,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Twitter Sunday morning. “This is a dangerous hurricane. Your safety is paramount.”
WATCH: Video shows hurricane hunters flying into eye of Dorian
South Carolina was also placed under a state of emergency on Sunday, with some coastal residents under mandatory evacuation orders as of Monday.
Some airports in Florida and the Bahamas — including Orlando International airport and Grand Bahama International Airport — have closed or have made plans to do so.
On Friday, WestJet announced it would not be flying customers to or from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., “until it is safe to resume flying.”
In a post on its website, the airline said customers flying from Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Fort Myers, Tampa and Nassau are covered under the airline’s flexible change/cancel policy until Sept. 3.
Similarly, Air Canada says, it has implemented a policy which makes it possible for some customers with reservations affected by hurricane Dorian to make voluntary changes to their itinerary.
With files from The Associated Press, Reuters and Hannah Jackson, Global News
Comments