Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Hurricane Isaias lashes Bahamas on path to virus-hit Florida

Hurricane Isaias lashed the Bahamas Friday as it churned toward Florida, bringing new dangers to a US state in the throes of an unrelenting coronavirus outbreak.
The category one storm, packing winds of 80 miles (129 kilometers) an hour, gained strength Thursday night after sweeping over the Dominican Republic.

As of 1200 GMT, it was an expansive storm, moving northwest at a speed of 17 mph, kicking up heavy squalls and whipping the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos island chains with strong winds, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.

"Some strengthening is possible today, and Isaias is expected to remain a hurricane for the next few days," it said.

The eye of the storm was expected to pass over southeastern Bahamas sometime during the day Friday and reach the central Bahamas during the night.

Hurricane warnings were up across the low-lying Bahamas while eastern Florida was under a tropical storm watch.

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis on Thursday relaxed strict stay-at-home orders imposed because of the coronavirus to allow residents to prepare for the hurricane.

"I beg you, do not use this period for hurricane preparation to go socializing and visiting friends or family," Minnis said at a news conference.

"If you do not need to be out, please, please, STAY AT HOME! We are in the midst of a pandemic and if we do not act responsibly, the consequences could be dire," he said.

It is the Bahamas' first hurricane since Dorian, a maximum strength Category 5 storm last year that devastated two islands, pummeling them for three days.

- Hurricane plus pandemic -

Isaias left a shambles in Puerto Rico, downing trees and electric lines and inundating houses as it cut a path through the island on Thursday.

"If you are seeing this, please, we need help," a man in Mayaguez, on the island's western side, begged in a video that showed his family clinging to the roof of their car as rising waters inundated their house.

In pandemic-hit Florida, meanwhile, residents braced for what could be a Category 2 hurricane, with winds of up to 95 mph, by the time Isaias arrives.

Its arrival would play havoc in a state whose hospitals are flooded with a surge of COVID-19 cases.

"Make sure you have a plan, and have seven days' worth of food, water and medicine," Florida governor Ron DeSantis urged Floridians on Thursday.

Carlos Gimenez, the mayor of Miami-Dade county, offered assurances that preparations were under way in case the storm hits the populous southern tip of the peninsula.

"We have 20 evacuation centers on standby. They're not open and we will have them set up with COVID-19 safety measures," he told a news conference.

The state's coronavirus testing centers, meanwhile, were closed Thursday and won't reopen until they get the all-clear.

The state's emergency management division explained that the testing centers are housed in tents and could not withstand tropical force winds.

For several weeks now, Florida has had nearly 10,000 new coronavirus cases a day and on Thursday reported 253 more deaths from the disease, setting a state record for a third consecutive day.

The virus has claimed more than 6,000 lives in the Republican-run state, which is now second in the nation in number of cases, surpassing early epicenter New York.

Only California, with almost double Florida's 21 million population, has had more.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×