Below is an update from Bishop Boyd on the devastation in The Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian
DATED: 23rd September 2019
By: Bishop Laish Boyd
Three weeks after the passage of Hurricane Dorian, I wish to give you an update on damage inflicted upon Anglican properties, primarily, by the monster storm.
Winds were recorded as high as 205 miles per hour, which puts it in the range of a category 6 storm.
ABACO
The worse damage overall occurred in Abaco.
Marsh Harbour- widespread flooding, catastrophic damage to
the downtown area and to buildings there and in adjacent Dundas Town and Murphy Town.
St. John The Baptist Church- flooded with some roof damage, doors and windows blew out.
Parish Hall- flooded with catastrophic roof damage
Parish Office- flooded with severe roof damage
Rectory- severe roof damage, ceilings fell in.
Most contents destroyed by water
The Marsh Harbour area is deserted. It is reported that most of the residents have evacuated.
Sandy Point – only some buildings recorded damaged.
St. Martin’s Church – minor leaking
Parish Hall/ Priest Lodge – minor leaking
Treasure Cay- widespread flooding, catastrophic damage to buildings.
St. Simon’s Church- flooded, some roof damage, doors and windows blew out
Parish Hall- Flooded, major roof damage
Adjoining buildings- similar damage
Most contents destroyed by water
Rectory – completely destroyed.
The area is deserted.
Green Turtle Cay – extensive damage to most buildings, most people have evacuated.
St. Peter’s Church- flooded (3 feet of water), doors blew out, some roof damage, stained glass window broken
Rectory –roof completely off, internal partitioning destroyed – contents destroyed
Parish Hall – completely destroyed (only the area of the kitchen left standing). The rest of the building has no walls or roof.
Blackwood- widespread damage to buildings, some flooding
Holy Saviour Church- flooded (18 inches of water), shingles are off
Parish Hall – flooded (12 inches of water), shingles are off
Catechist’s Home – severely damaged, will have to be demolished.
Fox Town –
St. Chad’s Church- no significant damage
Crown Haven –
St. Anne’s Church- no significant damage
GRAND BAHAMA
Downtown and many other areas experienced severe flooding. In some areas every house has its flood-damaged contents out on the curb.
Smith’s Point-
St. Jude’s Church- minimal damage, stained glass frame cracked
Parish Hall – minor roof damage, water beat in.
Among membership and immediate area:
39 families lost their homes (that includes 44 children ages 0-12)
46 families have roof damage
85 families had flooding
The church’s feeding program feeds 500 persons daily from across the community.
Eight Mile Rock – Almost every home in the settlement has some damage
St. Stephen’s Church – minimal shingle loss
Rectory- minimal shingle loss
Parish Hall- no damage
The parish hall has housed the relief workers since the hurricane.
The Parish distributes and delivers supplies and cooked food to persons in the surrounding area.
Among members:
15 homes flooded
20 homes with roof damage
3 persons lost everything
Sweeting’s Cay
St. Michael’s Church – flooded
St. Michael’s Parish Hall- demolished
The church is one of the few buildings on the Cay left standing and intact.
High Rock
St. Nicholas Church – flooded – some contents destroyed
St. Nicholas Rectory – flooded, minor roof damage, the contents were destroyed by water.
St. Nicholas Parish Hall – catastrophic damage –much of contents destroyed
Among members:
30 families lost everything
8 persons had water damage from flooding
One woman lost her husband.
Note: In High Rock, the east end of Grand Bahama and Sweeting’s Cay, most of the buildings were badly damaged or destroyed.
The parish priest distributes and delivers supplies from a location in Freeport.
Freeport
Christ The King Church, Hall and offices – flooded with (4 feet of water) –some contents destroyed
The Parish feeds about 1,000 persons daily from across the community.
Many members were affected by flooding
10 homes completely destroyed
150 homes flooded
50 homes with serious damage
Lucaya
Ascension Church- some metal sheeting came off the roof
Parish Hall- minimal damage
The Parish Hall sheltered 400 people in the storm and continues to shelter persons who lost their home. The feeding program feeds 400 persons daily from across the community.
25 members lost everything
60 homes damaged
West End
St. Mary Magdalene Church- flooding with (18 inches of water)
Parish Hall- flooding with (36 inches of water)
Rectory flooded with (6 inches of water).
Much of contents destroyed
Many houses and buildings in the area are damaged or destroyed.
Pinder’s Point
Good Shepherd Church – Church and Hall have minimal damage
The feeding program feeds 400 persons daily and delivers food and goods to persons’ homes.
Extensive flooding and damages to homes in the area.
1 member lost her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter
1 member lost a niece, and has a brother in hospital with 2 broken legs and a broken arm.
Bishop Michael Eldon School, Freeport – School has 87 teachers & support staff
Minimal damage
Some classrooms had minor leaking
Auditorium has major leaks.
A large portion of the interior fencing blew down. 25% of shingles blew off. Thankfully the perimeter fencing is intact.
Some teachers lost everything. Many have damages and loss of varying degrees.
School reopened on Wednesday 18th, September
95% of teachers reported
75% of students reported
Yours in His Service
The Rt. Rev’d. Laish Z. Boyd
BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF THE BAHAMAS AND
THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
+LZB/ns