Some 2,500 people are still listed as missing in the Bahamas more than a week after Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Caribbean island chain, although that number may include evacuees who fled to shelters, authorities said on Wednesday.

Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis told the nation in a televised address that the death toll from Dorian remained at 50, but conceded that the large number of people missing meant that number would rise.

"The number of deaths is expected to significantly increase," Minnis said, adding the government was being transparent and would provide "timely information on the loss of life as it is available."

Emergency management officials told a separate news conference that the list of missing had not yet been checked against records of evacuees or the thousands of people staying in shelters.

"My friends are missing, a few of my cousins are missing over there, five in total, they lived in Marsh Harbour," said Clara Bain, a 38-year-old tour guide, referring to the Abaco town where officials estimate that 90% of homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed.

"Everyone on the islands are missing someone, it`s really devastating," she said.

Dorian slammed into the Bahamas on September&nbsp;1 as a Category 5 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record to make a direct hit on land and packing top sustained winds of 185 miles per hour (298 kph).

"Our sympathies go out to the families of each person who died," Minnis said. "Let us pray for them during this time of grief. We offer you our shoulders to cry on. You will never be forgotten."

More than 5,000 people evacuated to New Providence, the island where the capital, Nassau, is located, in the face of the worst hurricane in the country`s history. But there has since been a significant reduction in the number now asking to be relocated, according to emergency management officials.

Some 15,000 people are still in need of shelter or food, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

Officials have already put up large tents in Nassau to house those made homeless by the storm and plan to erect tent cities on Abaco capable of sheltering up to 4,000 people.

Minnis thanked US President Donald Trump and the American people for mobilizing support and urged Bahamians to pitch in with relief efforts by volunteering or donating money to legitimate charities.

The White House said on Wednesday the United States would not give temporary protected immigration status to people fleeing the Bahamas after the hurricane.

The status would have allowed Bahamians to live and work in the United States while their country recovers.

Private forecasters estimated that Dorian destroyed or damaged some $3 billion in insured property in the Bahamas or elsewhere in the Caribbean.

Commercial flights to Abaco, one of the hardest-hit areas, resumed on a limited basis on Wednesday.

Some 2,500 people are still listed as missing in the Bahamas more than a week after Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Caribbean island chain, although that number may include evacuees who fled to shelters, authorities said on Wednesday.

Some 2,500 people are still listed as missing in the Bahamas more than a week after Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Caribbean island chain, although that number may include evacuees who fled to shelters, authorities said on Wednesday. Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis told the nation in a televised address that the death toll from Dorian remained at 50, but conceded that the large number of people missing meant that number would rise. "The number of deaths is expected to significantly increase," Minnis said, adding the government was being transparent and would provide "timely information on the loss of life as it is available." Emergency management officials told a separate news conference that the list of missing had not yet been checked against records of evacuees or the thousands of people staying in shelters. "My friends are missing, a few of my cousins are missing over there, five in total, they lived in Marsh Harbour," said Clara Bain, a 38-year-old tour guide, referring to the Abaco town where officials estimate that 90% of homes and buildings were damaged or destroyed. "Everyone on the islands are missing someone, it`s really devastating," she said. Dorian slammed into the Bahamas on September 1 as a Category 5 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of intensity, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record to make a direct hit on land and packing top sustained winds of 185 miles per hour (298 kph). "Our sympathies go out to the families of each person who died," Minnis said. "Let us pray for them during this time of grief. We offer you our shoulders to cry on. You will never be forgotten." More than 5,000 people evacuated to New Providence, the island where the capital, Nassau, is located, in the face of the worst hurricane in the country`s history. But there has since been a significant reduction in the number now asking to be relocated, according to emergency management officials. Some 15,000 people are still in need of shelter or food, according to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. Officials have already put up large tents in Nassau to house those made homeless by the storm and plan to erect tent cities on Abaco capable of sheltering up to 4,000 people. Minnis thanked US President Donald Trump and the American people for mobilizing support and urged Bahamians to pitch in with relief efforts by volunteering or donating money to legitimate charities. The White House said on Wednesday the United States would not give temporary protected immigration status to people fleeing the Bahamas after the hurricane. The status would have allowed Bahamians to live and work in the United States while their country recovers. Private forecasters estimated that Dorian destroyed or damaged some $3 billion in insured property in the Bahamas or elsewhere in the Caribbean. Commercial flights to Abaco, one of the hardest-hit areas, resumed on a limited basis on Wednesday.

Bahamas says 2,500 missing after Dorian; Prime Minister warns death toll to rise 'significantly'

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-fears-of-higher-dorian-death-toll-islanders-vie-to-leave-248405">Hurricane Dorian to 50</a> with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands.

Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said 42 deceased persons on the island of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mosquito-spray-diapers-flashlights-cannot-beat-cash-for-dorian-relief-248036"> Abaco and eight on Grand Bahama</a> had been recovered as of Sunday, in an article published in The Nassau Guardian.

"We anticipate the discovery of more deceased persons, as the process of search and recovery progresses," he said.

The news comes as the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported "particularly startling" devastation in places like Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, particularly in its shantytowns.

"Communities such as The Mudd and Pigeon Pea, where 70 per cent of informal housing in Abaco existed, and where an overwhelming majority of Haitian migrants resided, has been decimated," it said in a statement.

"The Mudd is gone," said IOM's Brian Kelly, who is leading the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team in the area.

The Haitians migrants "are in a very tough situation, just as many of the Bahamians," he said.

Some 90 per cent of housing and infrastructure is damaged or destroyed on Abaco, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement, reporting thousands of houses leveled, telecommunications towers down and roads blocked.

Approximately 76,000 people were affected by Dorian, the IOM said, citing official reports. Of these, thousands have been evacuated and about 860 are in emergency shelters in the capital city of Nassau.

"The rest of the people remain in the affected areas," said Vynliz Dailey, IOM assessment mission officer.

An estimated 5,000 people had been evacuated by the Bahamas, the WFP said, citing data provided by the government.

The organization said it had distributed 1,000 tarpaulin coats to serve as temporary roofs for destroyed homes in Marsh Harbour while the World Food Programme said it had passed out more than 1,500 ready-to-eat meals, after offloading 13,800 at Marsh Harbour. 
&nbsp;

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 50 with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands.

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 50 with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands. Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said 42 deceased persons on the island of Abaco and eight on Grand Bahama had been recovered as of Sunday, in an article published in The Nassau Guardian. "We anticipate the discovery of more deceased persons, as the process of search and recovery progresses," he said. The news comes as the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported "particularly startling" devastation in places like Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, particularly in its shantytowns. "Communities such as The Mudd and Pigeon Pea, where 70 per cent of informal housing in Abaco existed, and where an overwhelming majority of Haitian migrants resided, has been decimated," it said in a statement. "The Mudd is gone," said IOM's Brian Kelly, who is leading the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team in the area. The Haitians migrants "are in a very tough situation, just as many of the Bahamians," he said. Some 90 per cent of housing and infrastructure is damaged or destroyed on Abaco, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement, reporting thousands of houses leveled, telecommunications towers down and roads blocked. Approximately 76,000 people were affected by Dorian, the IOM said, citing official reports. Of these, thousands have been evacuated and about 860 are in emergency shelters in the capital city of Nassau. "The rest of the people remain in the affected areas," said Vynliz Dailey, IOM assessment mission officer. An estimated 5,000 people had been evacuated by the Bahamas, the WFP said, citing data provided by the government. The organization said it had distributed 1,000 tarpaulin coats to serve as temporary roofs for destroyed homes in Marsh Harbour while the World Food Programme said it had passed out more than 1,500 ready-to-eat meals, after offloading 13,800 at Marsh Harbour.

Bahamas Dorian toll climbs to 50; thousands evacuated

Bahamians scrambled to escape the islands hardest-hit by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dorian-weakens-to-category-2-hurricane-us-meteorologists-247448">Dorian</a>, which has killed at least 43 people, while the storm wreaked "havoc" farther north in Canada after making landfall near Halifax Saturday.

Even as some Bahamians began to reunite with their loved ones, the death toll 35 so far in the Abaco Islands and eight in Grand Bahama was likely to climb "significantly," according to Prime Minister Hubert Minnis.

A loosely coordinated armada of passenger planes, helicopters and both private and government boats and ships including redirected cruise liners -- converged in the Bahamas on the horribly battered Abacos to help with evacuations, both to Nassau and to the US mainland.

Evacuees began flowing out of the region as a cruise ship carrying 1,400 people docked Saturday in Riviera Beach, Florida, CNN reported. All had documents to enter the United States.

The Coast Guard said that all Bahamian ports had now reopened and that it had deployed nine cutters to the islands.

Six of its MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters had so far rescued 290 people.

And more than 260 Abacos residents arrived Friday in Nassau on a government-chartered ferry, part of the first wave of people to be evacuated off the archipelago's most decimated islands.

Thousands of miles (kilometers) north, Dorian, now classified as a post-tropical cyclone, was "wreaking havoc over the Canadian Maritimes," the US-based National Hurricane Center said.

More than 500,000 power outages were reported according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre, which said the problem extended across the Maritimes, a three-province region in east Canada comprising Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Dorian made landfall earlier in the day south of the port city of Halifax, home to Canada's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dorian-to-hit-bahamas-as-devastating-hurricane-then-menace-georgia-and-carolinas-246935">Atlantic</a> fleet.

"We're talking about a very dangerous storm," Bob Robichaud of the Canadian Hurricane Centre told a briefing.

Television images showed a downpour and howling winds in the empty streets of downtown Halifax where a crane collapsed onto a semi-constructed building and a roof was torn off another apartment.

No significant injuries or fatalities had been reported according to Halifax Regional Police late Saturday, The Toronto Star said.

Police had evacuated 150 people from downtown Halifax, including residents of the apartment building, they said.

Catastrophic and devastating

Bahamas residents said conditions on the devastated islands were brutal and that the smell of unrecovered bodies, along with mounting piles of garbage, was oppressive and unsanitaryHundreds or even thousands of people were still missing, officials said, as search-and-rescue teams continued their grim retrievals.

Meanwhile, Minnis said Nassau "cannot possibly accommodate" all the Abaco victims.

For now, he said, supplies of food and water were adequate, although several witnesses from Abaco contested that.

While the prime minister called the loss of life "catastrophic and devastating," Health Minister Duane Sands said the final death toll "will be staggering."

UN relief officials said more than 70,000 people on Grand Bahama and Abaco were in need of assistance.

The WFP was sending food and supplies.

A UN World Food Program team estimated that 90 per cent of buildings in Marsh Harbour were damaged.

The US Coast Guard, Britain's Royal Navy and private organizations have been helping evacuate island residents to Nassau, hampered by damaged piers and airport runways.

Chamika Durosier was waiting on Saturday at the Abaco airport. The island, she said, was unsafe.

"The home that we were in fell on us," she said. "We had to crawl -- got out crawling. By the grace of God, we are alive."She described the increasingly desperate plight of those left behind.

"People have no food. People have no water, and it's not right. They should have been gone.

"Dead bodies are still around and it's not sanitary."

Stay safe and listen

Dorian, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane when it raked through the Bahamas, was buffeting eastern Canada with winds equivalent to those of a Category 1 hurricane.

Although it packed hurricane-force maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 kilometres per hour), these were occurring primarily over water, the US-based National Hurricane Center reported in its 11:00 pm (0300 GMT) advisory.

Storm surges were causing widespread flooding and three to five inches (7.5 to 12.5 centimetres) of rain were expected in Nova Scotia.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was briefed on the storm."The safety of Canadians is our number one priority and we're ready to help Atlantic Canada through this storm," he said on Twitter.

Canada was sending up to 700 troops to Atlantic provinces to assist "with the restoration of power services, clearing main roadways and evacuating residents in flooded or severely damaged areas," Goodale said in a statement.

Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan assured Canadians on Twitter that "our Armed Forces will be there to aid you in this challenging time. Stay safe and listen to your local first responders."

Dorian was expected to "drop below hurricane strength on Sunday" and move "near or over" western Newfoundland then enter the North Atlantic later in the day, the NHC said.

Earlier, Dorian brought flooding and power outages but no major damage to the coastal Carolinas and Virginia in the United States.&nbsp;

Bahamians scrambled to escape the islands hardest-hit by Dorian, which has killed at least 43 people, while the storm wreaked "havoc" farther north in Canada after making landfall near Halifax Saturday.

Bahamians scrambled to escape the islands hardest-hit by Dorian, which has killed at least 43 people, while the storm wreaked "havoc" farther north in Canada after making landfall near Halifax Saturday. Even as some Bahamians began to reunite with their loved ones, the death toll 35 so far in the Abaco Islands and eight in Grand Bahama was likely to climb "significantly," according to Prime Minister Hubert Minnis. A loosely coordinated armada of passenger planes, helicopters and both private and government boats and ships including redirected cruise liners -- converged in the Bahamas on the horribly battered Abacos to help with evacuations, both to Nassau and to the US mainland. Evacuees began flowing out of the region as a cruise ship carrying 1,400 people docked Saturday in Riviera Beach, Florida, CNN reported. All had documents to enter the United States. The Coast Guard said that all Bahamian ports had now reopened and that it had deployed nine cutters to the islands. Six of its MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters had so far rescued 290 people. And more than 260 Abacos residents arrived Friday in Nassau on a government-chartered ferry, part of the first wave of people to be evacuated off the archipelago's most decimated islands. Thousands of miles (kilometers) north, Dorian, now classified as a post-tropical cyclone, was "wreaking havoc over the Canadian Maritimes," the US-based National Hurricane Center said. More than 500,000 power outages were reported according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre, which said the problem extended across the Maritimes, a three-province region in east Canada comprising Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. Dorian made landfall earlier in the day south of the port city of Halifax, home to Canada's Atlantic fleet. "We're talking about a very dangerous storm," Bob Robichaud of the Canadian Hurricane Centre told a briefing. Television images showed a downpour and howling winds in the empty streets of downtown Halifax where a crane collapsed onto a semi-constructed building and a roof was torn off another apartment. No significant injuries or fatalities had been reported according to Halifax Regional Police late Saturday, The Toronto Star said. Police had evacuated 150 people from downtown Halifax, including residents of the apartment building, they said. Catastrophic and devastating Bahamas residents said conditions on the devastated islands were brutal and that the smell of unrecovered bodies, along with mounting piles of garbage, was oppressive and unsanitaryHundreds or even thousands of people were still missing, officials said, as search-and-rescue teams continued their grim retrievals. Meanwhile, Minnis said Nassau "cannot possibly accommodate" all the Abaco victims. For now, he said, supplies of food and water were adequate, although several witnesses from Abaco contested that. While the prime minister called the loss of life "catastrophic and devastating," Health Minister Duane Sands said the final death toll "will be staggering." UN relief officials said more than 70,000 people on Grand Bahama and Abaco were in need of assistance. The WFP was sending food and supplies. A UN World Food Program team estimated that 90 per cent of buildings in Marsh Harbour were damaged. The US Coast Guard, Britain's Royal Navy and private organizations have been helping evacuate island residents to Nassau, hampered by damaged piers and airport runways. Chamika Durosier was waiting on Saturday at the Abaco airport. The island, she said, was unsafe. "The home that we were in fell on us," she said. "We had to crawl -- got out crawling. By the grace of God, we are alive."She described the increasingly desperate plight of those left behind. "People have no food. People have no water, and it's not right. They should have been gone. "Dead bodies are still around and it's not sanitary." Stay safe and listen Dorian, a monstrous Category 5 hurricane when it raked through the Bahamas, was buffeting eastern Canada with winds equivalent to those of a Category 1 hurricane. Although it packed hurricane-force maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (150 kilometres per hour), these were occurring primarily over water, the US-based National Hurricane Center reported in its 11:00 pm (0300 GMT) advisory. Storm surges were causing widespread flooding and three to five inches (7.5 to 12.5 centimetres) of rain were expected in Nova Scotia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was briefed on the storm."The safety of Canadians is our number one priority and we're ready to help Atlantic Canada through this storm," he said on Twitter. Canada was sending up to 700 troops to Atlantic provinces to assist "with the restoration of power services, clearing main roadways and evacuating residents in flooded or severely damaged areas," Goodale said in a statement. Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan assured Canadians on Twitter that "our Armed Forces will be there to aid you in this challenging time. Stay safe and listen to your local first responders." Dorian was expected to "drop below hurricane strength on Sunday" and move "near or over" western Newfoundland then enter the North Atlantic later in the day, the NHC said. Earlier, Dorian brought flooding and power outages but no major damage to the coastal Carolinas and Virginia in the United States.

Amid fears of higher Dorian death toll, islanders vie to leave

Hurricane Dorian strengthened back into a Category 3 storm Wednesday night, making it a major hurricane once again, and now it threatens the coast of the Carolinas.

Dorian hurricane upgrades to category 3 storm

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bahamas-facing-hurricane-like-never-in-history-warns-pm-247050">Hurricane Dorian</a>, which has left <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dorian-kills-five-in-bahamas-us-evacuates-coast-247227">at least five people dead</a> in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-dorian-pounds-bahamas-inches-towards-florida-coast-247403">Bahamas</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-dorian-weakens-to-category-3-bahamas-pm-says-its-a-historic-tragedy-247285">weakened</a> to a Category 2 storm Tuesday but continues to pose a danger as it crawls towards the southeast US coast, US meteorologists said.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Dorian, which has been parked over the Bahamas, had been downgraded from a Category 3 to a Category 2 storm on the five-level wind scale.

At 11:00 am (1500 GMT), it said Dorian was packing maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 kilometers per hour) and moving northwest towards Florida at at two mph (3.2 kph).

Dorian was located about 105 miles east of Fort Pierce, Florida, and moving in a northwesterly direction towards the Florida coast at a snail's pace of two mph, it said.

The NHC said Grand Bahama Island was continuing to experience dangerous winds, life-threatening storm surge and extreme flooding from the heavy rain.

The hazardous conditions would continue through much of Tuesday on Grand Bahama Island, which is the northernmost island in the archipelago and home to its largest city, Freeport, the NHC said.

It said Dorian was expected to pick up speed and grow in size during the day and turn towards the north on Wednesday evening.

"The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late today through Wednesday evening, very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, and near or over the North Carolina coast late Thursday and Thursday night," the NHC said.

As Dorian ground to a standstill over the Bahamas, the tourism and aviation ministry announced the start of rescue operations "in parts where it is safe."

Watch:&nbsp;Hurricane Dorian kills at least 5 people in the Bahamas

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'We are underwater'

For many, the wait for help to arrive has been terrifying.

A text message seen by AFP from a woman named Kendra Williams, who lives on Grand Bahama, said: "We are under water; we are up in the ceiling. Can someone please assist us or send some help. Please. Me and my six grandchildren and my son, we are in the ceiling."

Fear gripped residents of Freeport as winds tore off shutters and water began entering homes, Yasmin Rigby said by text from the Grand Bahama island's main city.

"People who thought they were safe are now calling for help," Rigby said. "My best friend's husband is stuck in the roof of their house with seven feet (two meters) water below."

Initial Red Cross estimates were that 13,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed by Dorian in the Bahamas, officials in Geneva said.

Video posted on the website of the Tribune 242 newspaper showed water up to the roofs of wooden houses in what appeared to be a coastal town. Capsized boats floated in muddy brown water clogged with debris.

Florida has started to feel the effects of Dorian, with heavy rain and strong gusts of wind reported.

More than 9,500 people have taken cover in 121 shelters in Florida, according to the state's Division of Emergency Management.

Among them was 30-year-old Stefanie Passieux, who took shelter along with her two children and mother.

'Get out NOW'

"I came yesterday, as soon as it opened. They said we were in a state of emergency so I came," Passieux said.

"My dad is staying with the cats, but we left. He never leaves. He doesn't do shelters."

Florida senator and former governor Rick Scott wrote on Twitter that "a slight wobble West" would bring the storm "on shore with devastating consequences."

"If you're in an evacuation zone, get out NOW. We can rebuild your home. We can't rebuild your life."

In southern Florida's Port Saint Lucie -- a low-income area where mobile home parks stood all-but emptied of their residents -- Dan Peatle, 78, fled his retirement community to take shelter in a hotel.

"It makes me sick. I don't like it," he told AFP as he stepped outside for air before the storm closes in.

"I've been through seven or eight of them since I've been in Florida, since '73. And, they're all the same, you know. Tear everything up, put it back together.

"But, I chose to live here so I might as well live with it, you know."

Hurricane Dorian, which has left at least five people dead in the Bahamas, weakened to a Category 2 storm Tuesday but continues to pose a danger as it crawls towards the southeast US coast, US meteorologists said.

Hurricane Dorian, which has left at least five people dead in the Bahamas, weakened to a Category 2 storm Tuesday but continues to pose a danger as it crawls towards the southeast US coast, US meteorologists said. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Dorian, which has been parked over the Bahamas, had been downgraded from a Category 3 to a Category 2 storm on the five-level wind scale. At 11:00 am (1500 GMT), it said Dorian was packing maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (175 kilometers per hour) and moving northwest towards Florida at at two mph (3.2 kph). Dorian was located about 105 miles east of Fort Pierce, Florida, and moving in a northwesterly direction towards the Florida coast at a snail's pace of two mph, it said. The NHC said Grand Bahama Island was continuing to experience dangerous winds, life-threatening storm surge and extreme flooding from the heavy rain. The hazardous conditions would continue through much of Tuesday on Grand Bahama Island, which is the northernmost island in the archipelago and home to its largest city, Freeport, the NHC said. It said Dorian was expected to pick up speed and grow in size during the day and turn towards the north on Wednesday evening. "The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late today through Wednesday evening, very near the Georgia and South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, and near or over the North Carolina coast late Thursday and Thursday night," the NHC said. As Dorian ground to a standstill over the Bahamas, the tourism and aviation ministry announced the start of rescue operations "in parts where it is safe." Watch: Hurricane Dorian kills at least 5 people in the Bahamas × 'We are underwater' For many, the wait for help to arrive has been terrifying. A text message seen by AFP from a woman named Kendra Williams, who lives on Grand Bahama, said: "We are under water; we are up in the ceiling. Can someone please assist us or send some help. Please. Me and my six grandchildren and my son, we are in the ceiling." Fear gripped residents of Freeport as winds tore off shutters and water began entering homes, Yasmin Rigby said by text from the Grand Bahama island's main city. "People who thought they were safe are now calling for help," Rigby said. "My best friend's husband is stuck in the roof of their house with seven feet (two meters) water below." Initial Red Cross estimates were that 13,000 buildings may have been damaged or destroyed by Dorian in the Bahamas, officials in Geneva said. Video posted on the website of the Tribune 242 newspaper showed water up to the roofs of wooden houses in what appeared to be a coastal town. Capsized boats floated in muddy brown water clogged with debris. Florida has started to feel the effects of Dorian, with heavy rain and strong gusts of wind reported. More than 9,500 people have taken cover in 121 shelters in Florida, according to the state's Division of Emergency Management. Among them was 30-year-old Stefanie Passieux, who took shelter along with her two children and mother. 'Get out NOW' "I came yesterday, as soon as it opened. They said we were in a state of emergency so I came," Passieux said. "My dad is staying with the cats, but we left. He never leaves. He doesn't do shelters." Florida senator and former governor Rick Scott wrote on Twitter that "a slight wobble West" would bring the storm "on shore with devastating consequences." "If you're in an evacuation zone, get out NOW. We can rebuild your home. We can't rebuild your life." In southern Florida's Port Saint Lucie -- a low-income area where mobile home parks stood all-but emptied of their residents -- Dan Peatle, 78, fled his retirement community to take shelter in a hotel. "It makes me sick. I don't like it," he told AFP as he stepped outside for air before the storm closes in. "I've been through seven or eight of them since I've been in Florida, since '73. And, they're all the same, you know. Tear everything up, put it back together. "But, I chose to live here so I might as well live with it, you know."

Dorian weakens to Category 2 hurricane: US meteorologists

Hurricane Dorian punched northwest on Saturday to threaten Georgia and the Carolinas, possibly sparing Florida a direct hit, as the Bahamas braced for catastrophic waves and wind from the muscular category 4 storm.

Florida towns told residents to remain vigilant despite forecasts they might dodge a Dorian landfall, as a tropical storm watch was issued for the state's south Atlantic coast.

Communities in northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina raised alert levels, with residents filling sandbags as authorities tested infrastructure and hurricane drills. South Carolina on Saturday joined Georgia, North Carolina and Florida in declaring a state of emergency.

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis begged residents of Abaco and Grand Bahamas to head for the main island to escape the "devastating, dangerous" storm.

"I want you to remember: homes, houses, structures can be replaced. Lives cannot be replaced," Minnis told a news conference, adding that 73,000 people and 21,000 homes were at risk to storm surges of up to 15 feet (4.6 meters).

At 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT)The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Dorian was packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and would hit the Bahamas on Sunday with more than two feet of rainfall in places, threatening deadly flash floods.

Dorian could then veer northwest and possibly remain at sea as it moved up the US eastern seaboard late on Monday through Tuesday, the NHC said.

A tropical storm watch was issued for a more than 120-mile stretch (193 km) of Florida coast from Deerfield Beach to around Palm Bay, meaning sustained winds of up to 73 mph (117 kmh)were possible within 48 hours.

North Carolina authorities warned residents Dorian was heading their way, while counterparts in Florida told towns to remain alert.

"While obviously for us it's a better forecast, we can't assume that there's not going to be hazardous weather," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.

Bahamas on Sunday

Central Florida towns urged residents to remain alert after past hurricanes like 1992's Andrew slammed the Bahamas and then barreled straight into the peninsula's southeast coast.

"Don't start taking down your shutters, don't start disassembling your emergency plan," said Eric Flowers, a spokesman for the sheriff's office in Indian River County.

On Tybee Island, a Georgia coastal barrier island, authorities put out sand for sandbags to protect against possible flooding in the marshy area.

"Our biggest concern is storm surge because the tides are really high right now," said the manager of a local restaurant, who asked not be named as he was not authorized to speak to media.

Further north, Dorchester County in South Carolina raised its alert level to make sure infrastructure and public safety crews were ready for the hurricane in the area near the historic city of Charleston.

North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEMA) said the storm was forecast to keep moving in the state's direction for the next 48 hours.

“Now is the time to prepare and assemble disaster supplies," said Katie Webster, an NCEMA meteorologist, urging people to prepare a week's supply of food and water. 
&nbsp;

Hurricane Dorian punched northwest on Saturday to threaten Georgia and the Carolinas, possibly sparing Florida a direct hit, as the Bahamas braced for catastrophic waves and wind from the muscular category 4 storm.

Hurricane Dorian punched northwest on Saturday to threaten Georgia and the Carolinas, possibly sparing Florida a direct hit, as the Bahamas braced for catastrophic waves and wind from the muscular category 4 storm. Florida towns told residents to remain vigilant despite forecasts they might dodge a Dorian landfall, as a tropical storm watch was issued for the state's south Atlantic coast. Communities in northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina raised alert levels, with residents filling sandbags as authorities tested infrastructure and hurricane drills. South Carolina on Saturday joined Georgia, North Carolina and Florida in declaring a state of emergency. Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis begged residents of Abaco and Grand Bahamas to head for the main island to escape the "devastating, dangerous" storm. "I want you to remember: homes, houses, structures can be replaced. Lives cannot be replaced," Minnis told a news conference, adding that 73,000 people and 21,000 homes were at risk to storm surges of up to 15 feet (4.6 meters). At 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT)The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Dorian was packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 kph) and would hit the Bahamas on Sunday with more than two feet of rainfall in places, threatening deadly flash floods. Dorian could then veer northwest and possibly remain at sea as it moved up the US eastern seaboard late on Monday through Tuesday, the NHC said. A tropical storm watch was issued for a more than 120-mile stretch (193 km) of Florida coast from Deerfield Beach to around Palm Bay, meaning sustained winds of up to 73 mph (117 kmh)were possible within 48 hours. North Carolina authorities warned residents Dorian was heading their way, while counterparts in Florida told towns to remain alert. "While obviously for us it's a better forecast, we can't assume that there's not going to be hazardous weather," said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber. Bahamas on Sunday Central Florida towns urged residents to remain alert after past hurricanes like 1992's Andrew slammed the Bahamas and then barreled straight into the peninsula's southeast coast. "Don't start taking down your shutters, don't start disassembling your emergency plan," said Eric Flowers, a spokesman for the sheriff's office in Indian River County. On Tybee Island, a Georgia coastal barrier island, authorities put out sand for sandbags to protect against possible flooding in the marshy area. "Our biggest concern is storm surge because the tides are really high right now," said the manager of a local restaurant, who asked not be named as he was not authorized to speak to media. Further north, Dorchester County in South Carolina raised its alert level to make sure infrastructure and public safety crews were ready for the hurricane in the area near the historic city of Charleston. North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEMA) said the storm was forecast to keep moving in the state's direction for the next 48 hours. “Now is the time to prepare and assemble disaster supplies," said Katie Webster, an NCEMA meteorologist, urging people to prepare a week's supply of food and water.

Dorian to hit Bahamas as 'devastating' hurricane, then menace Georgia and Carolinas

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dorian-strengthens-to-powerful-category-5-hurricane-as-it-nears-bahamas-247011">Dorian strengthens to powerful category 5 hurricane as it nears Bahamas</a>

Hurricane Dorian intensified into a dangerous category 5 storm as it approached the Bahamas on Sunday, expected to pound the islands with up to two days of torrential rain, high waves and damaging winds before taking aim at the US mainland.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protesters-target-airport-but-planes-are-running-247001">Hong Kong protesters target airport but planes are running</a>

Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public transport links to Hong Kong airport on Sunday in a bid to draw global attention to their fight for greater democracy for the Chinese-ruled city which is facing its biggest political crisis in decades.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldives-meet-on-development-goals-descends-into-chaos-as-pakistan-raises-kashmir-india-hits-back-247007">Maldives meet on development goals descends into chaos as Pakistan raises Kashmir, India hits back</a>

A major argument broke between India and Pakistan delegates inside the Maldives Parliament on Sunday after Pakistani delegates raised Kashmir on a forum meant for sustainable development goal even as hapless speaker of Maldivian Parliament Mohamed Nasheed tried to control the situation in vain.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-led-coalition-says-it-bombed-houthi-arms-site-in-yemen-group-says-prison-hit-246991">Saudi-led coalition says it bombed Houthi arms site in Yemen, group says prison hit</a>

A Saudi-led military coalition said on Sunday it had launched airstrikes on Houthi military targets in southwest Yemen that Houthi-run media said had hit a prison, killing dozens of people.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-stuck-in-elevator-for-25-minutes-freed-by-fire-brigade-246992">Pope stuck in elevator for 25 minutes, freed by fire brigade</a>

Pope Francis arrived late for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, explaining that he had been stuck in an elevator in the Vatican for 25 minutes and had to be freed by firefighters.

Dorian strengthens to powerful category 5 hurricane as it nears Bahamas Hurricane Dorian intensified into a dangerous category 5 storm as it approached the Bahamas on Sunday, expected to pound the islands with up to two days of torrential rain, high waves and damaging winds before taking aim at the US mainland.

Dorian strengthens to powerful category 5 hurricane as it nears Bahamas Hurricane Dorian intensified into a dangerous category 5 storm as it approached the Bahamas on Sunday, expected to pound the islands with up to two days of torrential rain, high waves and damaging winds before taking aim at the US mainland. Hong Kong protesters target airport but planes are running Thousands of protesters blocked roads and public transport links to Hong Kong airport on Sunday in a bid to draw global attention to their fight for greater democracy for the Chinese-ruled city which is facing its biggest political crisis in decades. Maldives meet on development goals descends into chaos as Pakistan raises Kashmir, India hits back A major argument broke between India and Pakistan delegates inside the Maldives Parliament on Sunday after Pakistani delegates raised Kashmir on a forum meant for sustainable development goal even as hapless speaker of Maldivian Parliament Mohamed Nasheed tried to control the situation in vain. Saudi-led coalition says it bombed Houthi arms site in Yemen, group says prison hit A Saudi-led military coalition said on Sunday it had launched airstrikes on Houthi military targets in southwest Yemen that Houthi-run media said had hit a prison, killing dozens of people. Pope stuck in elevator for 25 minutes, freed by fire brigade Pope Francis arrived late for his weekly address in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, explaining that he had been stuck in an elevator in the Vatican for 25 minutes and had to be freed by firefighters.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Beach goers in Jacksonville, northeastern Florida, enjoyed the sun-soaked weather on Saturday (August 31) while keeping an eye on the Hurricane Doria's unpredictable path, potentially barreling their way.

Beach goers, surfers enjoy weather as Hurricane Dorian churns in unpredictable course

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a hurricane's sustained wind speed. This scale estimates potential property damage.

What Is the Saffir-Simpson wind scale?

Hurricane Dorian became an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane late Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane Dorian strengthens to a Category 4 storm

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