ABACO, The Bahamas — Sunday morning, Hurricane Dorian made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane over the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. The 185-mph winds slammed the islands, causing widespread damage and the death of a boy.
For some people, Sunday may have been the first time hearing of the Abaco Islands, so here's a bit more information about the cluster of Bahamian islands.
The Abacos, as they are often called, is a 120-mile stretch of islands about 180 miles directly east of Palm Beach. Most of the Abacos is made up of the two main islands, Great Abaco and Little Abaco Island, but also features dozens of smaller islands.
Dorian first made landfall Sunday over Elbow Cay, the easternmost part of the Abacos and the home of Hope Town. Hope Town was one of the first towns founded by British loyalists escaping the American Revolution in the 1700s. It is known for its picturesque lighthouse which was constructed in the 1800s.
The coral and limestone islands are flanked by white powder beaches and turquoise water. High temperatures rarely reach 90 degrees, and low temperatures even in the winter rarely fall below 60 degrees.
Although it was originally a shipbuilding and farming community, about 40% of the economy is now generated through tourism. The nautical history of the islands lives on as they continue to be a sailing destination.
There are two airports in the Abacos that serve tourists and the estimated 17,000 permanent residents.
Dorian is not the first hurricane to hit the Abacos. The islands were hit hard by four other hurricanes, including Hurricane Irma in 2017 — which temporarily closed the airports — and a Category 5 hurricane in 1932 which became known as the Great Abaco hurricane of 1932.
What other people are reading right now:
- Hurricane Dorian a 'catastrophic' Category 5 hurricane
- Live blog: The latest, need-to-know information on Hurricane Dorian
- 5 dead, 21 injured in second mass shooting in weeks in West Texas
- There've already been 1,000 reports of suspected price gouging in Florida as Dorian approaches
- Orlando International Airport will now stay open through Dorian
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.