Rebuilding from ruins of Irma on Ragged Island
Recently the “soft breeze” in this Commonwealth country, a chain of islands that starts about 50 miles off the Florida coast, was not so soft.
Residents and visitors to The Bahamas were battened down in their homes, hotels or hurricane shelters. Hurricane Irma was on course for a direct hit on this island chain, packing almost unheard of 185 miles per hour winds. It devastated several Caribbean islands on its way.
The eye of the Category Five storm passed north of Puerto Rico, plunging that island into darkness. And parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti also suffered the wrath of Irma. Over 20 lives were lost.
Irma then pummelled the Turks and Caicos Islands and entered the Southern Bahamas (Ragged Island, Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay) on September 7 as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 175mph.
Because of the impending danger, Dr the Hon. Hubert Minnis, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, made the decision to evacuate the residents of these southern islands to the capital ahead of the hurricane. A few chose to remain. A number of residents on the northwestern island of Bimini were also evacuated. More than 1,500 islanders were flown to Nassau in advance of Hurricane Irma.
Ragged Island, one of the Bahamas’ smallest inhabited islands with a population of less than 100, was hit hardest. Most homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Power lines are down and utilities non-functioning. Public buildings, including the government-operated school, the clinic and other public facilities are severely damaged or destroyed. And there is the smell of rotting animal carcasses.
The Prime Minister has declared Ragged Island uninhabitable and those who remained there are being urged to leave until their homes and livelihood can be restored.
An environmental health team will be sent in to dispose of dead animals and to engage in a major clean-up.
Giving Ragged Islanders hope for the future the Prime Minister has announced the government’s plans to transform Ragged Island into the first fully “green” island in the region, using renewable energy and smart technology. The Bahamas Government will seek assistance locally and from international counterparts. Ragged Islanders throughout The Bahamas have also come forward to offer their assistance with recovery and rebuilding.
Also significantly damanged were Acklins, Crooked Island, Inagua and, further north, Grand Bahama which experienced strong gale to tropical storm force winds. Daughter of the Rock Fay Knowles left Stirling to travel, settling in the Bahamas. The 72-year-old novelist, journalist and author of a number of short stories and poetry published both there and in the UK is a former pupil of Balfron Primary School and also has family connections to Aberfoyle but has lived in Nassau on New Providence Island for many years.
In recent days she has seen the“paradise”islands feel the effects of Hurricane Irma along with many others in the Caribbean.
While feeling lucky to have avoided the very worst Irma had to offer, she and her fellow Bahamians are now hoping to help those worst affected there particularly on‘Ragged Island’— and elsewhere — to rebuild their lives and their communities.
Here she describes the aftermath of the storm and what help is still needed.
Throughout the affected islands roofs are missing and many homes lost. Power lines are down and roadways blocked by debris.
Fortunately, Hurricane Irma veered away from New Providence, so we only incurred tropical storm force winds here in the capital. However, cowering in our shuttered homes or behind impact resistant glass windows, we expected the worst.
Residents in our island nation that
visitors flock to from around the world, to experience The Bahamas’ warm translucent seas, white sandy beaches and the friendliness of the Bahamian people, are thankful there were no deaths here from Hurricane Irma.
As always, neighbours are helping neighbours in the Family Islands. In Nassau, churches, agencies and other organizations are assembling hurricane relief supplies and some have opened bank accounts to help the victims. New Providence Community Church, a designated hurricane shelter, took in a large number of evacuees from the southern islands. Some of those evacuated to Nassau are now reluctant to return to their islands.
They are scared and don’t know what they will meet when they see their homes again.
Many residents have not yet fully recovered from the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Joaquin in 2015.
I wrote after Hurricane Matthew: “It was like an evil force determined to get through our walls and blow us and everything inside our Nassau home out into the elements”.
The Prime Minister has announced we must develop in The Bahamas new mindsets and protocols “in this era of super storms”. The Bahamas Government will convene a panel of experts to study, advise, and report on efforts The Bahamas must take in response to the threats posed by frequent and more severe hurricanes. He said the building codes here are to be reviewed.
The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Unfortunately, as I write this, two more storms spawned off the African coast are lining up, one Hurricane Maria so far taking the same path as Hurricane Irma and the other Hurricane Lee, expected to veer northwards into the open sea away from land.
Throughout the islands, roofs are missing and many homes are lost. Power lines are down and roadways blocked