Frances sweeps through Bahamas
Hurricane Frances has ploughed through the sparsely populated southeastern Bahamas, unleashing ferocious winds and waves before it weakened slightly and moved towards the island chain’s main towns of Nassau and Freeport.
Residents nailed boards over their windows, buying food and jugs of water as they prepared to shut themselves inside their homes and ride out the storm.
Most buildings in the Bahamas are built of concrete, stone or other heavy materials to withstand winds of up to 125 mph. Although Hurricane Frances weakened to a Category 3 with 120 mph winds, Bahamians were still scurrying to protect their houses.
Towering waves and winds of 120 mph were reported on San Salvador Island, which is home to more than 900 people and where the eye crossed yesterday. Electricity and phone services were down on Long Island, which has about 3,000 residents.
No injuries were reported.
Forecasters said the storm’s eye was heading toward the capital of Nassau on New Providence Island, home to more than two-thirds of the country’s 300,000 people. “The worst of it is expected overnight or Friday morning,” said Neil Stuart, a meteorologist at the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami.
