EVACUATIONS1. There is no mandatory evacuation order for Abaco.
2. Evacuation is strictly voluntary.
3. The total number of evacuees to Nassau is approximately 3,500 so far.
4. There were a number of partners running evacuations today, including Bahamas Air, Delta Airlines, Western Air, Trans Island Air, Air Bridge and other private partners. The Bahamas Fast Ferries and private boaters also did sea evacuations.
5. The number of persons presenting themselves for evacuations is diminishing.
6. Evacuees are being processed at The Odyssey Aviation Processing Centre. We thank our private sector partners who are working with Social Services to manage this center.
7. As a reminder, all evacuations should be free of charge. The public should report any aircraft that are charging fees. Civil aviation is revoking authorizations for those aircraft.
8. The evacuation plan is to provide temporary housing in Abaco to assist those persons who wish to stay on the island.
9. Several safe spaces have been identified to clear areas for temporary housing.NOTICE ON SEARCH AND RECOVERY IN ABACO

1. NEMA and its partners have not commenced any mass scale debris cleaning in Abaco.
2. Search and recovery is still being conducted, particularly in Marsh Harbour.
3. We are aware of rumors about bulldozing in The Mud. These reports are false.
4. NEMA has directed a 50 member team from The United States Agency for International Development /Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) to work with the Bahamas Royal Bahamas Defence Force to do a systematic sweep of the island.
5. The island has been put into a grid system and the recovery team will check each section for persons who are still alive, any bodies that need to be recovered, and to check for hazardous material.
6. Only after each sector is cleared will NEMA and its partners move to the next phase of operations, which includes debris removal.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

– We are confident there is adequate coverage on both islands to address safety and security issues.
– On Grand Bahama, there were 666 Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers. These figures include police reserves.
– In Abaco, there are 274 Royal Bahamas Police Force and Royal Bahamas Defence Force officers.
– The Caribbean Community responding to our request for support.
– Presenting on Abaco, there are 33 Jamaican Defence Force Officers assisting securing operations. There are 122 officers from Trinidad and Tobago who will be phased into Grand Bahama during the week.

SHELTERS

– When evacuees arrive in Nassau they are processed at the Processing Centre at Odyssey Aviation.
– Evacuees are then taken to homes of family and friends, or a shelter.
– The status of current shelters:
o  Sir Kendal Isaac Gym – 422 people (full)
o Fox Hill Community Shelter – 202 people
o Calvary Baptist Shelter – 91 people
o Salvation Army – 50
o Pilgrim Baptist Church in St Hames Road – 95 people
o And another centre opened this morning in Adelaide.
– TOTAL PEOPLE PLACED @ 10am THIS MORNING = 860

FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES

NEMA continues to work with local and international public and private sector entities to ensure that food and water are provided to the affected communities on Abaco and Grand Bahama.

As at 5pm today September 8, 2019, arrangements have been put in place for:
• Royal Caribbean to provide between 10-20 thousand hot meals per day to persons in Grand Bahama.  NEMA is augmenting these hot meals with non-perishable relief supplies.
• The Island Administrator to get food and water for approximately 500 to persons who are on Moore’s Island
• Hands for Hunger and World Central Kitchen to distribute 2,000 hot meals to persons in Little Abaco starting September 9, 2019
• Royal Bahamas Defence Force is delivering food, water and tarps to Copper’s Town and North Abaco
• World Food Programme and Samaritan’s Purse distributing 12,000 MREs to 1,000 families in Marsh Harbour