Hurricane Dorian Strikes the South East Coast

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As tornadoes form overhead, Hurricane Dorian hits Myrtle beach.

Riley Keiter, Writer

Hurricane Dorian has already hit the Bahamas and sections of Florida with force, as well as just recently North and South Carolina, but now it continues to wreak havoc.

Dorian, once a Category 5 storm, has now lowered down to a Category 1 storm, says CNN. It now “is expected to move up through New England Friday night and Saturday morning. It should approach Nova Scotia late Saturday.”

In the Bahamas, the hurricane caused major devastation and ruin. Much information has yet to be gained as the damage from the storm prevents contact, but what is known is that it was catastrophic. 

In response to that information; help has been deployed in order to assist the victims.

With the death toll climbing…and scores more still missing, helicopters operated by the US Coast Guard among others were delivering emergency supplies to residents on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama, the two worst-hit locations in the Caribbean nation’s north,” Peter Beaumont, writer for The Guardian, wrote.

Many homes in the Bahamas are also flooded or completely underwater, making an escape to safety a difficult option. 

people remained stuck on rooftops waiting to be rescued. The death toll is expected to rise

“According to reports early on Wednesday, some people remained stuck on rooftops waiting to be rescued,”  Beaumont wrote. “The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.

In Florida, it wandered around and scraped the coast, but the majority of the storm never got too close. The damage was still prevalent. 

Many were lucky enough to evacuate in time, as CNN reports that “seven counties in Florida are still on mandatory evacuation.”  Those who could not evacuate deal now with flooding, increasing winds, and more. 

As it moved north and hit in the Carolinas and Georgia, the eye gravitated closer to the shore.

According to CBS, there are recorded “115 mph sustained winds,” in the storm. Though efforts are being sent for assistance, the overall damage will be severe.

The Carolinas, just recently been hit, were more ready than most, given their time to prepare, but still not ready enough.

CBS 6

“My house in Myrtle Beach is getting barreled through by a tornado,” sophomore Andrew Tucker said. “My neighbor, Mindy, is staying. We don’t know what’s going to happen to him.”

Tucker pulled up a video of his neighborhood, and a tornado forming just above it. “Mindy is an 80-year-old man, so he’s not going. But I’m texting him and he’s sending me updates,” Tucker said.

Hobart Mendenhall, or Mindy as he is known, sent screenshots of tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, and general paranoia around the area.

Though Kansas itself is far away from the shore, there are many efforts being sent in from the land-locked state.

The first task force of Kansas, compiled of 42 first responders, left for Florida on Sept. 1. It is expected to stay for two weeks in total according to Marleah Campbell from the WIBW

You just go with the mindset that you’re there to lift people up and treat them as your family

 “You just go with the mindset that you’re there to lift people up and treat them as your family,” said Patty Patterson, volunteer for the Red Cross in an interview with Fox 4 News.  “If it was in your backyard, you’d want someone to be there to help you”.

Leighton Clemons, an 81-year-old resident of Kansas, is heading to the Tennessee and North Carolina for relief efforts there. Clemons also collected 20 other volunteers. 

For those who want to help but can’t leave to do their part, there are many options to assist. 

The Red Cross has many options all of which can be found on their website, redcross.org, the salvation army also has options, and donations are available at caringforthebahamas.com. For a list of supplies that would be useful to donate, click on this link.