Power packing Hurricane Irma pummeled Ragged Island.
Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis got a first-hand view of the destruction when he, Cabinet Ministers and persons from the opposition party, along with officials of National Emergency Management Agency and Social Services, set off early yesterday on a fact finding mission throughout the Southern Islands; the areas most affected by the monster storm.
Ragged Island sustained the most significant damage, where the airport was flattened and homes were destroyed. The stench of the dead carcasses of animals, as Dr. Minnis stated, roamed the air. Power line poles were snapped off their bases and hung over roof tops of various buildings.
Ragged Island was a bleak and depressing scene.
Prime Minister Minnis said, “Ragged Island has been devastated. Every home has been destroyed. The Health Facility has been destroyed. The School has been destroyed. The Teacher’s residence has been destroyed. There is no light, there is no water. As you walk about, you can smell the stench of dead animals.
It is essential we get the residents off this Island. We will have defense force dispatch a vessel here and defense force will commence a cleanup and at the same time ensure there are securities.”
After speaking with the residents of Ragged Island in the tragic aftermath, Dr. Minnis articulated, “We have spoken with residents, they feel they need at least twenty four hours to get their belongings together. So we will have a flight here on Wednesday at least by one o’clock to bring them to New Providence.”
Dr. Minnis said “some may choose to move to Exuma where they have families but they cannot stay here.”
Dr. Minnis explained, “the health conditions and the safety will continue to deteriorate over the next twenty-four to forty eight hours. My concern is the health and safety of the residents, that’s the responsibility of the Government.”
The Bahama Journal also spoke with some of the residents of Ragged Island for their sentiments of the devastation they have incurred. Marjorie Wallace is one of the residents who lived there for thirty five years and whose her husband evacuated to Nassau a few days before Hurricane Irma’s arrival. She then travelled back to Ragged Island yesterday to see how much damage occurred. Unfortunately, she was met with nothing but rubble.
Although lost for words, Mrs. Wallace tried her best to describe what she saw. The distraught lady said, “the cellar that was under the floor is almost gone because of the weight. The blocks and materials in the house, made the floor sink in. We lost everything; we don’t have anywhere now to sleep. ”
