"Deeply concerned": Global Bank Group President Ron Nechemia expresses condolences to the people of Bahamas, following the terrible devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in the northern Bahamas.

Los Angeles, CA – September 4, 2019 – Following the terrible devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian in the northern Bahamas, the Global Bank Group¹ President Ron Nechemia (@RonNechemia) remains deeply concerned for the tens of thousands of people affected in the Grand Bahamas and Abaco on Monday, and shared his deep concerns, “Thousands of displaced people are living in 'rapidly deteriorating' conditions in the worst-hit parts of the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian made landfall.”

The President of the Global Bank Group Ron Nechemia extends his condolences on behalf of the Bank Group, its Affiliates, Affiliated Specialized Agencies, Funds, and Programmes to all those in the Bahamas who have lost loved ones. We stand with the communities affected by the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian.

Hurricane Dorian hit Grand Bahama Island as an incredibly powerful Category 5 hurricane on Sunday night with howling 185 mile-per-hour winds. Then it stalled over the island. For nearly two days, Dorian moved at just 1 mile per hour, subjecting Grand Bahamas to intense hurricane conditions. Reported wind gusts blew up to 220 mph — strong enough to blow a roof off a house. The storm generated 18 to 23 feet of coastal flooding from storm surge, and NASA estimated more than 3 feet of rain fell.

The President of the Global Bank Group Ron Nechemia was "shocked and saddened" by the outcome of the tropical cyclone, which was recorded as "the second strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin."  He has added “The Global Bank Group and the Global Bank Disaster Risk Reduction and Reconstruction Fund – An Umbrella Trust Fund (GB-DRRRF) are stepping up their efforts to help the people left homeless and to prepare those still in the path of the storm." 

The Global Bank is working in partnership with the Government of the Bahamas, including the National Emergency Management Authority. While meeting life-saving and life-sustaining needs, the Global Bank is also focused on laying the foundation for long-term sustainable development. The Global Bank framework calls for actions to not only protect populations and promote quick recovery but also to prevent new risks, such as those caused by ill-planned urban growth in areas subject to flooding, landslides, and effects of climate change.

Technical experts from Global Bank have been working closely with other partners to compile information from the models on the areas affected and evaluate the extent of the impact from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas.

Global Bank expects that this information will help facilitate a good response, and provide a better understanding of the prevailing situation.

About the Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian was an extremely powerful, long-lived, and destructive tropical cyclone that devastated the northwestern Bahamas and caused significant damage to the Southeastern United States and Atlantic Canada. It was the fifth tropical cyclone, fourth named storm, second hurricane, and the first major hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane caused catastrophic damage to Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands, with at least 70,000 people left homeless.

Support Hurricane Dorian Humanitarian Response and Recovery
We continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds and our unified response, our thoughts, and prayers are with the people of The Bahamas. For more information on how the public can support the Global Bank Group disaster relief efforts, please visit the The Global Bank Disaster Risk Reduction and Reconstruction Fund – An Umbrella Trust Fund website at http://www.gbdrrrf.org/.