Hurricane Isaias rips through Bahamas on its way to Florida
- Authorities in the US state are taking precautions as the storm has caused power outages in the Bahamas
- The centre of the storm is expected to move over northern Andros Island in the next few hours
Hurricane Isaias snapped trees and knocked out power as it blew through the Bahamas on Saturday and headed toward the Florida coast, where officials said they were closing beaches, parks and coronavirus testing sites.
Florida authorities said they have prepared shelters, but did not expect to have to evacuate people.
“The most important thing we want people to do now is remain vigilant,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
Authorities in North Carolina ordered the evacuation of Ocracoke Island, which was slammed by last year’s Hurricane Dorian, starting Saturday evening. Meanwhile, officials in the Bahamas cleared people out of Abaco island who have been living in temporary structures since Dorian devastated the area, killing at least 70 people.
Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 kilometres per hours) at 11am. Saturday morning, a slight decline from earlier in the day, the US National Hurricane Centre said. The centre of the storm is expected to move over northern Andros Island in the next few hours, on to Grand Bahama Island in the northwestern Bahamas later in the day then near the east coast of Florida overnight through Sunday. It is expected to weaken slowly late Monday.