Hurricane Dorian: Death toll in Bahamas reaches 20 and is expected to rise, says nation's health minister

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

At least 20 people have lost their lives in the Bahamas as a result of Hurricane Dorian, and officials say that figure will likely increase further.

As the storm moved along the coast of Georgia and officials in South Carolina urged residents to heed evacuation orders, officials in the Bahamas revealed the deadly harm inflicted by the powerful storm that sat upon the islands with 185 mph winds for more than 36 hours.

Earlier on Wednesday, the nation’s prime minister, Hubert Minnis, said the government had recorded seven deaths, but said this would likely increase.

“We are in the midst of one of the greatest national crises in our country’s history,” he told a news conference. “No effort or resources will be held back.

He added: “We can expect more deaths to be recorded. This is just preliminary information.”

Subsequently, the Washington Post quoted health minister Duane Sands, as saying the figure had risen to 20 and was expected to continue to increase as emergency teams were able to reach various parts of the island nation.

He said, 17 dead were reported in the Abacos and three were reported in Grand Bahama.

CNN said the National Hurricane Centre’s forecast continued to show the dangerous core of Dorian approaching the coast of South Carolina some time on Thursday morning near Charleston, and then travelling along the coast through the Carolinas on Friday.

Landfall could occur on Friday anywhere in the Carolinas. The NHC warned “it should be noted that the track is close to and almost parallel to the coast of the southeastern United States, and any deviation to the left of the track could bring the centre onshore anywhere in the Carolinas”.

Mark Lowcock, United Nations under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, said in a conference call with reporters that he expected the death toll in the Bahamas to rise significantly.

Dozens of people in the Bahamas took to Facebook to search for missing loved ones, and aid agencies estimated that tens of thousands of people out of the Bahamas population of 400,000 would need food and other support.

Aerial video of Great Abaco Island showed miles of flooded neighbourhoods littered with upturned boats and shipping containers scattered like toys. Many buildings had walls or roofs partly ripped off.

South Carolina governor Henry McMaster urged people to heed a coastal evacuation order as Dorian neared the state’s seaboard.

“We want everyone to leave who can,” Mr McMaster said. “We know there are some who can’t or some who don’t want to for various reasons. But we’re urging people to be safe, rather than sorry.”

Additional reporting by Reuters​