Bahamas gov't issues evacuation notice for some areas amid threat of Hurricane Melissa

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC – The Bahamas government Monday issued a formal evacuation notice for residents of Inagua, Acklins, Crooked Island, Mayaguana, and Ragged Island ahead of the passage of Hurricane Melissa, a category 5 storm later this week.

Prime Minister Phillip Davis said that according to the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Hurricane Melissa is forecast to begin affecting the Southeast Bahamas by early Tuesday morning, with conditions expected to deteriorate through Wednesday as the storm tracks across the area.

He said the evacuation decision was taken following the advice of the Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM) and the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, noting that it was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of residents in the most vulnerable islands.

“This notice is being issued to ensure that those most at risk can be safely relocated before conditions worsen,” Davis said, advising residents to contact their local Family Island Administrator for details on evacuation schedules and transportation arrangements.

Davis said that the government will provide a comprehensive update on Monday evening when he will be joined by officials from the Disaster Risk Management Authority.

“At that time, we will outline the specific steps being taken to safeguard lives and property, including transportation logistics, shelter readiness, and coordination across all government agencies,” he said, encouraging Bahamians to remain vigilant, stay informed, and continue to look out for one another.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said that a hurricane watch is in effect for the southeastern and central Bahamas as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Melissa is a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are likely before Melissa makes landfall on Jamaica on Tuesday. However, Melissa is expected to reach Jamaica and southeastern Cuba as an extremely powerful major hurricane, and will still be at hurricane strength when it moves across the southeastern Bahamas,” the centre added.

It said that over the Southeast Bahamas, total rainfall of four to eight inches is expected Tuesday into Wednesday, resulting in areas of flash flooding.

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