Hurricane Dorian Emergency Support

Hurricane Dorian ravaged the Bahamas for 48 hours in September 2019. It claimed at least 84 lives and destroyed 45% of homes on Abaco and Grand Bahama. The Category 5 storm – the worst in the country’s history – severely harmed key infrastructure, including water sources.

Six-foot-high surges of seawater caused the salinity of the main water sources on Grand Bahama and Abaco to skyrocket, while 70% of Grand Bahama was flooded with surge water for up to 18 hours. This water seeped deeply into the groundwater, so when local water management attempted to pump safe water from wells after the storm, the water came out not only unsafe but so severely salinated that filtration and purification efforts were useless. Additionally, well water typically has an unsafe, highly salinated lower level, and a safe upper level. The surge created a third layer of unsafe water on top and failed attempts at pumping mixed the layers, leaving no safe water at all.

After addressing urgent needs, IsraAID transitioned to long-term Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). In the WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) sector, this meant strengthening local water management authorities, toward helping them develop the capacity to withstand future hurricanes and other crises that may occur.

IsraAID is piloting a solution on Grand Bahama and Abaco. We installed groundwater monitoring sensors in eight wells across both islands, to sample and observe the quantity and quality of groundwater. Combined with a map showing any leaks in the pipeline, utility staff will be able to accurately pinpoint and fix the leaks in their system, saving them significant people-power and resources; avoiding wasting precious safe water, and helping secure the infrastructure, should future disasters occur.

After Hurricane Dorian, many families who lost their homes took shelter in their cars, without safe water access. To ensure that families in the Eight Mile Rock area – home to 14,200 people – have their shelter and water needs better met in future emergencies, we partnered with the local Church of God of Prophecy, Pinedale to drill a well at their community center, with the capacity to provide for local drinking, hygiene, and sanitation requirements.

IsraAID is also facilitating further DRR at the center, including hurricane-resistant renovations. Our activities to strengthen the community at the heart of this center are ongoing, as an assessment we conducted in July 2021 shows that there is still a substantial need. We are preparing to install a generator to provide power during emergencies, and are delivering ongoing psychosocial support programs for youth, who continue to be heavily affected by feelings of hopelessness and isolation. These  activities are essential as the community prepares to face the upcoming hurricane season, still in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thank you for continuing to support the people of the Bahamas as they build back stronger.