Hurricane death toll climbs to 20 in Bahamas

Hurricane Dorian, which hit the Bahamas on Tuesday, has left a trail of destruction on Abaco and Grand Bahama islands. The official death toll from the strongest hurricane on record ever to hit the country, jumped to 20, and it may climb higher, according to some officials.

Bahamian Health Minister Duane Sands, said 17 of the dead were from the Abaco islands and three from Grand Bahama. He said he could not release further details because the government still had to contact family members.

The Bahamian government sent hundreds of police officers and marines into the stricken islands, along with doctors, nurses and other health care workers, in an effort to reach drenched and stunned victims and take the full measure of the disaster.

With a now-distant Dorian pushing its way up the Southeastern United States coast, many people living in the Bahamas were in shock as they slowly came out of shelters and checked on their homes.

Source: CGTN