Disasters in Bahamas

The Bahamas is an archipelago in the Atlantic hurricane belt, so hurricanes, tropical storms, strong winds, storm surge and flooding create the highest recurring risks. Low-lying limestone islands also face coastal erosion, sea-level rise, drought, extreme heat, wildfires and, in some situations, tsunami. Exposure differs between islands because power, water, telecommunications, transport and emergency capacity are not distributed equally. Hurricane Dorian in 2019 caused 67 confirmed deaths, left 282 people missing and produced more than 3.4 billion US dollars in damage and losses. The Disaster Risk Management Authority coordinates national disaster management under the Disaster Risk Management Act 2022. The National Disaster Emergency Plan sets the national framework, while the Family Island Disaster Emergency Plan and island plans adapt it to local conditions. The Prime Minister and Cabinet can declare a Disaster Alert after consulting the Authority and considering technical advice from the Bahamas Department of Meteorology. The declaration can activate emergency measures and resources, but evacuation orders apply to the affected event and area rather than to the whole country. The Bahamas Department of Meteorology issues official weather information. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible; a hurricane warning means that they are expected. Tropical-storm winds range from 55 to 74 miles per hour, while hurricane winds exceed 74 miles per hour. The national early warning system uses Green, Yellow, Orange and Red levels. General lead windows are about 49 to 72 hours for Green, 37 to 48 hours for Yellow, 25 to 36 hours for Orange and 6 to 24 hours for Red. Warning levels also account for hazards such as storm surge above 3 to 6, 7 to 10, 11 to 14 or 15 to 20 feet; flash-flood rainfall of 3 to 6, 7 to 12, 13 to 18 or more than 19 inches per hour; and tsunami arrival estimates of 12 to 24, 7 to 12, 1 to 6 or less than 1 hour. Wildfire warnings consider fire containment and the threat to communities. Preparedness includes keeping at least 72 hours of water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, medication and important documents. A household plan should cover communication, transport, medication, children, older people, persons with disabilities and pets or service animals. Securing the home, following official alerts and taking part in drills reduce avoidable danger. Authorities plan and inspect shelters each year, usually between February and April. Shelters are selected with storm surge and flood elevation in mind and are linked to the National Building Code and Category 5 wind resilience. Shelter capacity, medical and security support, water, generators, sanitation and service-animal accommodation can differ by island. When an alert or evacuation order is issued, follow the local instructions for the affected island or island group and move to the designated shelter or relocation location within the stated time. Family Island Administrators and Island Coordination Centres handle local coordination, while the National Disaster Emergency Operations Centre manages larger incidents. The Authority can activate Emergency Support Functions involving the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Royal Bahamas Defence Force, health, transport, public works, environmental health, utilities and other organisations. Search and rescue, shelter activation, public-health surveillance, damage assessment and needs analysis form part of the response. There is no general year-round evacuation registration or single nationwide procedure; timing and practical arrangements depend on the event, island and available shelter capacity. The National Emergency Assistance System coordinates support for shelter, health, water, sanitation and hygiene, food security, protection and logistics. The Disaster Risk Management Authority works with Family Island Administrators, non-governmental organisations and private companies. Domestic resources are used first; international assistance may be requested when assessed needs exceed national capacity. Access to relief or relocation depends on the activated response, damage, assessed needs and island capacity, and no general cash entitlement or fixed relief tariff has been identified. Recovery can include initial damage and needs assessments, humanitarian needs reports, relief distribution, restoration of utilities and services, rehabilitation and resilient reconstruction. Disaster risk analysis, hazard mapping, the National Building Code, hurricane shelters, water-purification capacity on some Family Islands, continuity planning and the National Disaster Risk Information System support risk reduction. Functions formerly associated with NEMA and the Disaster Reconstruction Authority were merged into the Disaster Risk Management Authority, which has operated in this form since 2024. Official information and training are generally publicly available, while emergency kits, transport, insurance, repairs and other personal costs depend on the situation.