More than 5,500 persons were evacuated to New Providence, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which announced that another shelter opened in the capital to accommodate the growing number of evacuees.

The Enoch Beckford Memorial Auditorium on Carmichael Road opened its door to 46 evacuees who were left displaced following the destruction of Hurricane Dorian in Abaco and Grand Bahama. 

The Kendal GL Isaacs National Gymnasium has a growing population of evacuees with two tents holding nearly 150 persons and a third tent is in the process of being added.

Director of Social Services Lillian Quant-Forbes said on Wednesday, at NEMA’s press conference, that the department is trying to meet the daily demands of new evacuees.

“Persons are constantly coming in and we’re having to quickly prepare as many shelters as we can. We had some challenges meeting the demand because many of our shelters were not available to us for various reasons, but we’ve moved beyond on that,” Quant-Forbes said.

“Persons are now coming to assist us as well, in terms of our private public partnerships and so that is one thing we’re appreciative of. 

“I would have met, just before I came here this morning with a church group who’s offering to assist us with identifying apartments or homes that are available for persons who are in the shelters to move to because a shelter is not a permanent home.”

Before the new addition, there were nine active shelters which include the Fox Hill Community Center, Calvary Haitian Baptist Church, The Salvation Army on Mackey Street, Pilgrim Baptist Church and the Bahamas Baptist Gym.

If not at a shelter, some of the evacuees are staying with relatives and friends.