We Decided Not To Evacuate And Face Melissa

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SOUTHERN BAHAMAS – As Hurricane Melissa lashes the southern Bahamas with powerful winds and heavy seas, a handful of residents in Inagua and Mayaguana have chosen to stay behind, despite a mandatory government evacuation order.

The Category Two storm continues to churn across the region, bringing dangerous conditions and widespread power outages.

On Great Inagua, local pastor and Morton Salt union president Richard Ingraham says winds began intensifying around 2 p.m., knocking out both power and water service islandwide.

“Everybody’s indoors trying to stay safe at this time,” Ingraham told Our News by phone. “We’re urging people to stay inside because the power lines are swinging from left to right.”

Ingraham says communication with authorities has remained steady, but with shelters closed, residents who stayed are relying on generators, sturdy homes, and faith to get through the storm. He estimates fewer than 100 people chose not to evacuate.

“My home is on higher ground,” he explained. “It’s firmly structured, so I felt safe enough to stay put.”

Over on Mayaguana, hotel manager Arnold Alexander Brown also decided to remain behind, citing his responsibility to care for his animals and protect his property.

“I also love farming,” Brown said. “I have a lot of animals, pigs, goats, and crops. The goats can take care of themselves, but the pigs need me to feed them.”

The Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM) is warning residents who ignored the evacuation order that emergency services will be limited or unavailable until the storm passes.

“As clearly stated in our DRM legislation,” said Managing Director Aaron Sargent, “residents who decide not to heed evacuation warnings cut themselves off from any support they might have received.”

With shelters closed, power out, and conditions worsening, both men say they’re staying put, praying that their communities will be spared the worst of Hurricane Melissa’s wrath.