Several homes were severely damaged in Salina Point, Acklins,  as Hurricane Irma ripped through the Bahamas on its track of  death and destruction  from islands in the eastern Caribbean.

Acklins was one of the islands in the south-eastern Bahamas hardest hit after the hurricane destroyed many properties in the Turks and Caicos islands and left ten fatalities in Cuba.

One  hundred residents decided to ‘weather the storm’ and remain in Acklins during the storm.   .  With the help of missionaries, who  travelled from the Nassau to help residents seek shelter, there were still some persons who decided that they would not leave their homes.

There were a total of thirty persons  who  sought shelter away from Salina Point. The Department of Social Services also assisted the  National Emergency Management Agency and  the Local Government  councillor   for Acklins, Elijah Beneby with such evacuations.

Although there was no damage to any Government buildings,  there was however, no electricity, running  water, nor access to telephone communication on the island after the hurricane.

Acklins was the first south-eastern stop of fact finding for Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis accompanied by Cabinet Ministers and persons from the opposition party, including Opposition Leader Philip Brave Davis and  Mrs. Glenys Hanna Martin, MP for Englerston.