”We fear this message will be woefully inadequate given the scale of the disaster facing the Bahamas”.
The words of the Prince of Wales in a message to the Prime Minister of the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian have an added tragedy now that the government on the islands has announced that hundreds of people, and possibly thousands, are still missing following the storm which swept through the country earlier this week.
The message from Clarence House is one of two letters of royal support sent to the islands where Dorian made landfall on Sunday before two days of destruction that have left thousands homeless and infrastructure in parts of the Caribbean nation in peril
The Queen sent a message on Tuesday as the storm’s damage was first becoming clear. In her letter, Her Majesty said ”Prince Philip and I have been shocked and saddened to learn of the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian, and we send our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives following this terrible storm.”
The Queen’s message continued ”At this very difficult time, my thoughts and prayers are with those who have seen their homes and property destroyed, and I also send my gratitude to the emergency services and volunteers who are supporting the rescue and recovery effort.”
It was signed, as always, Elizabeth R.
The Prince of Wales sent his own letter on Thursday as emergency services continued their work to find those missing since the storm took hold. Prince Charles wrote ”My wife and I wanted you to know how deeply we feel for the people of the Bahamas in the face of such an ongoing tragedy, and how profoundly saddened we are to hear of the dreadful loss of life and utter devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian. Above all, our hearts go out to all those who have been so cruelly bereaved or injured, and whose homes have been swept away.”
Prince Charles continues ”We fer this message will be woefully inadequate given the scale of the disaster affecting the Bahamas – and threatening so many other island states throughout the world as a result of accelerating global warming – but please know that you have our deepest possible sympathy at such a soul destroying time.”
The official death toll in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian is currently 30. However, officials are warning it will rise as rescue teams reach the areas hit. The country’s government is warning that the number of those who have lost their lives will be ”staggering”.
The International Red Cross has warned that around 45% of the homes in the worst affected areas, Grand Bahama and Abacos, have been either destroyed or badly damaged. Teams are scouring the areas for survivors while the island of Grand Abaco is reported to be virtually uninhabitable.
Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas on Sunday as a Grade 5 storm bringing winds of up to 185 mph and almost 35 inches of rain in some parts, leading to massive flooding.
Now, the people of the Bahamas are being warned to prepare for ”unimaginable information about the death toll and the human suffering” by their Health Minister, Duane Sands, as details of the devastation become clearer.
