San Juan: Hurricane Isaias ripped shingles off roofs and blew over trees as it carved its way through the Bahamas early Saturday and headed toward the Florida coast, where officials in Miami said they were closing beaches, marinas and parks.
Miami Mayor Carlos Giménez said 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 85 mph (135 kph) Saturday morning and some strengthening was possible later Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
The storm was centered about 85 kilometers south of Nassau in the Bahamas and was moving northwest at 19 kph. 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 (241 kilometers) north to the Volusia-Flagler county line. (PTI)
