“I’ve Weathered Hurricanes But, Not This Type Of Tornado Weather”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The morning sunrise revealed the full extent of the damage left behind by Friday night’s severe weather in Eastern New Providence.

Officials from Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) were on-site early Saturday, assessing affected communities, while residents shared their harrowing experiences.

Shena Bethel, a local resident, described the terrifying ordeal:
“The news could have been reporting something different. Your children could have heard something different, they would have been screaming this morning. I thought the world had ended.”

In the Joe Farrington Road area, just after 8 a.m., Our News team witnessed widespread destruction. Vehicles were damaged by fallen trees, roofs were scattered across yards, and dozens of BPL trucks navigated flooded streets. Residents and business owners spent the morning clearing debris and salvaging personal belongings.

Many described the storm as resembling tornadic activity.

Charles Edgecombe, a resident, said:
“Last night we were outside, but we couldn’t see all the damage because of the darkness and power outages. This morning, when I saw everything, it was devastating.”

Sheron Johnson added:
“This is the first time in my life living in The Bahamas that I’ve experienced such trauma from the weather. I’ve weathered hurricanes, but not tornado-like conditions.”

Business owners felt the impact too. Ricardo Mott, owner of Eastside Barbershop, noted:
“The current is off, so I’m using cordless machines. Life goes on, people still want their haircuts.”

BPL Chief Operations Officer Anthony Christie assured the public that efforts to restore power were underway:
“About fifty or more people are on the road with trucks and equipment. Many have been working since last night without rest to restore services as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, the Department of Meteorology clarified that, based on radar, lightning, and wind data, Friday night’s storm was not technically a tornado, but a microburst, a sudden, powerful downdraft consistent with the damage observed.

Residents are now working to rebuild and recover, grateful to have weathered the storm safely, even as crews continue restoring power and clearing debris.