Bahamas: Hurricane Irma Update

Rough seas flood a seawall on the eastern end of Nassau, Bahamas, Saturday, Sept 9, 2017, as Hurricane Irma moves along the coast of Cuba.
Rough seas flood a seawall on the eastern end of Nassau, Bahamas, Saturday, Sept 9, 2017, as Hurricane Irma moves along the coast of Cuba. Tim Aylen / Associated Press
Rough seas flood a seawall on the eastern end of Nassau, Bahamas, Saturday, Sept 9, 2017, as Hurricane Irma moves along the coast of Cuba.
Rough seas flood a seawall on the eastern end of Nassau, Bahamas, Saturday, Sept 9, 2017, as Hurricane Irma moves along the coast of Cuba. Tim Aylen / Associated Press

Bahamas: Hurricane Irma Update

WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

News of Hurricane Irma’s effect on Florida is well documented, but the Category 5 storm passed over several Caribbean countries before reaching the continental U.S. One of the hardest hit was the Bahamas. Almost all 700 islands were affected. The country’s communications are mostly down, so the scope of the disaster is still unknown. So far, the worst effects of Irma were felt on Ragged Island, where the Prime Minister Hubert Minnis witnessed rotting carcasses and uninhabitable infrastructure. Minnis has been Prime Minister since May. The recovery effort will test his new government.

To discuss, we’re joined by Gabrielle Wright, WBEZ digital producer. Her family is from the Bahamas. She’s pieced-together information coming from the hardest hit parts of the country. Wright also shares comments from Michael Fountain, honorary consul of the Bahamas to Chicago.