The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

Additional reporting

by Stephen T Roberts

THIS JEEP was caught up along with a number of other vehicles and buildings in what residents say was a tornado that struck Abaco yesterday.

The vehicle was thrown from one side of a compound to another as winds ripped through the island, ending up on its side and shattered.

The video footage - which can be seen online at www.tribune242.com - also shows fallen trees, an overturned tanker load and a roof ripped off the Abaco Block Concrete building at Great Abaco Port.

Officials yesterday predicted severe weather to last from today through the weekend with record levels of rainfall expected to cause flooding.

Yesterday, the Department of Meteorology issued three separate weather warnings for Bimini, Grand Bahama, Abaco and their adjacent waters while a severe thunderstorm watch remained in effect for Berry Islands, North Andros and their adjacent waters.

According to the Meteorological office, some of the thunderstorms caused strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning and heavy downpours.

Boaters in the watch and warning areas were warned to seek safe harbour and residents were urged to stay away from windows until conditions improved.

Senior Meteorological Officer, Geoffrey Greene said while most of the rain is falling in Grand Bahama, Abaco and the Berry Islands, New Providence still experienced a good amount of flooding.

“I don’t know the exact number but I can estimate as of 5pm at least 6 inches of rain had already fallen in Grand Bahama. In New Providence I have gotten reports of flooding and I know its flooded out here by the airport. On the path we are headed we are expected to surpass the record for May. The average rainfall is about 4.54 inches. We have already surpassed that. So far for the month we have had 7.17 inches of rain. The record is 13.66 inches. That was in May of 2009,” he said.

“The rain will last in the Northwest Bahamas until late Friday. It should begin to clear up by Saturday. Bimini and the Berry Islands will still experience heavy showers Friday. There is a trough trailing behind this low that is expected to bring thunderstorms with it. So we are going to have some widespread rain on and off as the system clears the area.”

The Tribune also received reports of flooding in Pinewood, Carmichael Road, Faith Gardens, Shirley Street, Arawak Cay and Bay Street.

Mr Greene said the downpour is an early start to the rainy season and the Bahamas can expect rain off and on for the next month or so.

However, he said the heavy rain is not an indication of an active hurricane season and forecasters still predict a below average to average season.

In Abaco, people were picking up the pieces after the report of a tornado.

Sometime after 2.30pm, Israel Wallace, an employee at Abaco Petroleum Company’s compound in Murphy Town, heard a roaring wind.

Before he could do anything, he said, the tornado brushed the compound. He said he was in a 40ft container as it passed, which was slammed with debris.

The roof of a small office on the property was ripped off, landing 50 feet away.

The majority of the fence was demolished, left in a twisted heap in places. A utility pole snapped and lay across the road, while a Chevrolet truck had been pushed across the road by the wind.

One of the fuel trucks moved several feet, and an empty fuel container was flung 100 yards across the road, mangling the front end of one of the cement mixer trucks and damaging another vehicle.

The four-door Mitsubishi Pajero jeep that was parked in front to of the office was discovered badly damaged on its side over 100 yards away on the other side of a nearly 20 foot high pile of pea rock tangled in electrical wires.

The conveyor for one of the cement silos was laying across the perimeter fence to the north of the property.

Shawna Pinder - who works in the office for ABC - said she spoke the owner (Larry Albury) who was in Freeport at the time, who told her that due to the poor weather and lack of work that could be done for the day that they could go home for the rest of the day. She said they left at about 2:30pm. She said before she made it to her home in Marsh Harbour she received a phone call from a concerned friend followed by a call from her father checking to see if she was okay because they had seen the tornado go on shore (Her father works at the Marsh Harbour Port and can see a fair way down the shoreline).

She was very emotional when arriving on the scene. She said she and the other staff are thanking God that they had left before the tornado came through as someone could have been hurt.

She and another office worker proceeded to try to recover files and valuables.