Residents of Salina Point, Acklins were lined up at Bahamasair ticket counter yesterday eager to return home following the devastation of Hurricane Irma.

The residents travelled back home after staying in New Providence at the Kendal G.L Isaacs National Gymnasium for three weeks.

Nearly 70 Acklins residents were scheduled to travel back home.

The island is in hurricane restoration mode and according to Acklins Administrator Cresfield Johnson, the cleanup process has begun.

“The surge that brought a lot of debris inland, we had to remove that, but there were some huge trees, coconut trees and some other trees that were too heavy for the ordinary person to lift. The first phase was to move all of the heavy debris out of the bay,” Mr. Johnson said.

Uncertain of the extent of damage to her home, Salina Point resident Pamela Martin showed much enthusiasm travelling back home.

She said, “It’s a lot of damage done down there, but I’m just really excited to go back home. I miss home and I want to go back.”

Forced to make an adjustment to her new living conditions over the last three weeks, Ms. Martin also expressed her gratitude of accommodations provided by the government.

She, along with seven members of her family all evacuated from Acklins to New Providence taking up residence at the Kendal G.L Isaacs National Gymnasium.

Sharing her experience with The Bahama Journal, Ms. Martin said, “It was little hard, but we can’t complain. We really enjoyed it. We slept well. We ate well and we were able to bathe on time.”