By LETRE SWEETING
lsweeting@tribunemedia.net
SOME residents of temporary homes in Abaco sought shelter ahead of Tropical Storm Nicole’s arrival, with one woman saying she was “very afraid” and had an “anxiety level of 1,000”.
This comes after evacuation orders were sent out Monday and yesterday urging Grand Bahama and Abaco residents living in low-lying areas and temporary structures such as domes and trailers to seek shelter.
Upon getting the evacuation notice, Ann Kilmore, who had been residing in a dome in Abaco with her family, said she was extremely anxious after losing everything in 2019 after the devastation from Hurricane Dorian.
“My anxiety level is probably 1,000, because you know it really brings back the most terrible thing I ever lived through. It’s like I’m reliving all of this preparation and everything all over again,” she said.
“The government asked us to move out of the trailer and the domes, you know for safety reasons, so we’re securing everything as best as we can, you know gathering up the personal documents and making sure you have water and food supply and medication and ride it out you know,” Ms Wilmore said.
She added, “I did my shopping yesterday, it was a madhouse. I would say we were in the shop for about an hour trying to cash out, but we were still able to find the necessary things to keep us safe.”
Ms Wilmore said she with her sister, her 28-year-old daughter, and her grandchildren who are ten years old and two years old, will be riding out the storm in a building under construction on her property.
“I have managed to construct a little two-bedroom on the property, it’s not complete, but it’s pretty safe. So we’re going to ride out the storm in that building,” Ms Wilmore said.
“I pray to God that He protects us this time as well,” she said.
Another resident, Edna Deveaux-Cornish, who immediately moved out of her dome dwelling in Dundas Town, Abaco, after evacuation orders were sent out on Monday, took shelter with family in Spring City, Abaco.
She said she was too afraid not to take immediate action.
“I moved out of the dome already. Once I heard about the storm I moved from yesterday. I am by some family members,” she said.
“My dome is leaking, so I had to come out of there and I don’t want to be inside there - I was getting afraid, so I don’t want to be in it,” Mrs Deveaux- Cornish said.
A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini, and the Berry Islands yesterday. A tropical storm warning was in place for Eleuthera, New Providence and Andros.
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology yesterday said weather conditions were beginning to deteriorate with life-threatening sea conditions in the northwest Bahamas.
The Cabinet Office yesterday announced that all government offices, except for essential services, were closed as of noon yesterday.
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