Category Five Storm
Everyone braced for impact throughout the country when they heard about this powerful storm coming their way. It was originally a tropical storm and began to change rapidly. Eventually, it upgraded to a category five storm. Mass panic arose in Florida, the Bahamas, and eventually Georgia and the Carolinas, as state of emergencies were declared. People rushed to stores and gas stations, picking up water, food, propane, batteries, and much more. Others began boarding up their windows and preparing for what was predicted to be one of the most devastating category five hurricanes to hit the Bahamas and East Coast. As preparations continued, the hurricane inched closer and closer.
Throughout Florida, many counties were cancelling school for a few days to allow families to prepare and brace for impact for this catastrophic storm. Stores and gas stations had huge lines of people trying to gather last minute supplies. Water and other necessities were selling out quickly and stores had to restock as fast as they possibly could. Senior, Colby Griffin, said “My mom bought twenty cases of water and my dad boarded up the windows. We went to the Bithlo Community Park and packed sand bags”. Florida residents were preparing for the worst.
After a course of days awaiting the hurricane, Hurricane Dorian made its way straight through the Bahamas. With wind gusts up to 220 miles per hour, this catastrophic storm slammed into the Bahamas affecting many residents and wreaking havoc. It started off moving through the Bahamas at a slow rate, but ended up reaching a standstill, one of the first hurricanes to ever make a complete stop. Many were left without homes, thousands of people were unaccounted for, and some were even found dead. After leaving the Bahamas in total destruction, Hurricane Dorian proceeded away from the coastline of Florida and made landfall in the Carolinas. Tornadoes and flood waters destroyed many homes. Despite the devastation, many people came together to start helping the communities affected by Hurricane Dorian. People helped by providing temporary shelters and establishing food and supply drives, in hopes that these victims of Hurricane Dorian can restart their lives.
Overall, Hurricane Dorian was a devastating storm that affected many residents, especially in the Bahamas. The Bahamas lost almost everything and it’s truly heartbreaking. Thousands of people in the Bahamas are missing and they are still on the lookout for them. The death toll is expected to increase due to the amount of people that remain missing. The Bahamas was hit before, but not to the extent Hurricane Dorian slammed them. It was a complete devastation for the Bahamas and they need all the help they can get.
Last Minute Prep! Freshman, Ammy Santos and her family gathered many supplies and boarded up their windows, in preparation for Hurricane Dorian. “My mom practically bought out Walmart with the amount of water and food she got,” said Santos. Stores had to restock quickly because customers were buying whatever was left. Photo By Leilani Hoofnagle