The National Hurricane Center has warned of storm surges that can result in water that is between 4 and 7 feet above the ground. These rising water levels are in addition to strong winds and large waves. The maximum sustained wind speed of the hurricane was 110 miles per hour on Wednesday, September 4.
After moving through Florida, getting close to Georgia, and completely destroying areas of the Bahamas, the Carolinas anticipate that they will be the next target of the storm. There is a hurricane warning from the Savannah River to the North Carolina-Virginia border and a tropical storm watch in Massachusetts from Woods Hole to Sagamore Beach. The storm is projected to head north and reach the New England area by the end of the week.
Damage from the Storm
The Bahamian Prime Minister, Hubert Minnis was quoted in the New York Times as saying 60% of homes in Abaco’s capital were badly damaged and the death count is expected to increase. The hurricane did not move from the Bahamas immediately, resulting in difficulties for the U.S. Coast Guard in successful rescue missions.
Hundreds of people called in emergencies when they were left stranded on their roofs or in their attics. Power lines in Florida were out due to trees and other vegetation falling onto the equipment. While the Florida Power and Light company has restored power, many emergency vehicles in both the Bahamas and in Southern states, have had to wade through water to reach the victims.
The winds extended from the eye of the hurricane out to over 170 miles, and its overall power has fluctuated to almost become a Category 3 storm. The National Hurricane Center considers this level to be major and includes wind speeds between 111 and 129 miles per hour. The results are the removal of roof decking, uprooted trees, and loss of electricity and water for days or weeks after the storm has passed.
Recovering from a Natural Disaster
Mayors in Georgia and North Carolina have already urged citizens to evacuate the town and return after the storm has dissipated. For those who were not fortunate enough to leave before the hurricane struck their town, people are already lending a helping hand.
The Mayor of Miami-Dade County in Florida said that the government is accepting donations of supplies for the Bahama islands at four different locations in Florida. Volunteers in Miami have already begun to gather and deliver donations to the Bahamian victims.
In addition to Coast Guard rescues, the United States Northern Command will be providing assistance and the U.S. Marine Corps transported an Air Force assessment to the Bahamas. Some tips for recovering from a hurricane include:
- Limiting contact with flood water
- Boil drinking water to disinfect before drinking
- Call the National Response Center for chemical or oil spill cleaning
Preserving Your Memories
In the wake of a storm of these proportions, possessions are damaged and may be underwater for long periods of time until the flooding recedes. Computer hard drives, cell phones, and other media will most likely experience serious water damage. In this case, do not assume your data including family photos and other irreplaceable files, is lost forever.
Secure Data Recovery has a 96% success rate and had many successful recoveries from media that was damaged in Hurricane Harvey. We have recovered files from a hard drive that was submerged in water for days after the disaster and our engineers try every possible recovery method. We have over 150 drop-off locations throughout the country, including in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
We want to do our part in lending a helping hand to the hurricane victims and are offering a 15% discount for any victim in need of data recovery for their water-damaged devices. Use the discount code: DORIAN2019 when you call to start your case, 1-800-388-1266.