• Slow-moving Hurricane Dorian has battered the Bahamas for more than a day now, with winds and floodwaters leaving homes destroyed.
• The US: It’s expected to get “dangerously” close to Florida’s east coast late Tuesday and into Wednesday.

Floridians leave messages for Dorian: “Go back 2 sea”

Floridians are boarding up their homes and businesses and leaving behind messages for Hurricane Dorian.

“Dorian Olive U 2 go back 2 sea,” reads the board on Olive U Mediterranean Grill in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

The owner, Abdul, told CNN that staff were with their families, and that the restaurant would open on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, boards at a snack bar in Boca Raton, Florida, read “Hieeeee k byeeee.”

The inspiration was “nothing really other then trying to have a sense of humor in a time of panic and preparation,” Matthew Williams told CNN.

“Thoughts and prayers with the people who are getting directly hit,” he said.

1 hr 36 min ago

“Dorian won’t budge”: National Hurricane Center

In its latest updated advisory, the National Hurricane Center said “Dorian won’t budge,” as the hurricane continues to stay put at Grand Bahama.

Wind gusts and storm surges are expected to continue on Grand Bahama through today.

The hurricane has now been hovering over the island for more than a day, with destructive winds and floods destroying homes. Five people have died in the Abaco Islands.1 hr 44 min ago

Coast Guard medevac 19 people from the Bahamas

The US Coast Guard deployed Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews to medically evacuate 19 people from the Marsh Harbour Clinic to Nassau International Airport in the Bahamas on Monday.

In a statement, the Coast Guard said the 19 people ranged in ages from children to the elderly, and were in varying medical conditions.

“As Hurricane Dorian began to make its way toward the Bahamas, the Coast Guard pre-positioned several surface assets in Key West and positioned Jayhawk helicopter crews on Andros Island to be able to respond to the devastation created by Hurricane Dorian. The Coast Guard plans to continue its search in the Bahamas at first light Tuesday,” the statement said.

1 hr 53 min ago

Hurricane Dorian is now a Category 3 storm

Hurricane Dorian has been reclassified as a Category 3 storm, down from Category 4.

It now has winds of 125 miles per hour. At its peak over the weekend, Dorian was a Category 5 storm with winds of 185 mph.

The storm is now stationary, and has been hovering at Grand Bahama for the past day. It’s about 105 miles from West Palm Beach, on the Florida coast.2 hr 6 min ago

Mandatory evacuation in parts of North Carolina

North Carolina has started issuing mandatory evacuations.

On Ocracoke Island, the evacuation will go into effect for visitors on Tuesday at 5 am local time, and for residents on Wednesday at 5 am.

In Dare County, the evacuation will go into effect for visitors on Tuesday at 12 pm local time, and for residents on Wednesday at 6 am.2 hr 43 min ago

Bahamas resident: “Everything is floating from room to room”

Shani Bowd, a resident in the Bahamas, was up to her shoulders in water when a storm surge flooded her home earlier today.

“Every room in the house was filled with water, up to maybe about four or five feet. All the furniture floating, you know, the bathroom flowing. Everything is just about ruined. Before that, we put everything up as high as we could. 
Now, the water is probably about down to my knees and it’s still going down. But everything is, you know, floating from room to room. You know, unsanitary, which is the number one reason why we need to get out,” Bowd told CNN.

The storm surge may have subsided for now, but Bowd fears another surge could come. She’s still at home with seven other people, including four children, and she has no idea when she can escape, with the wind still howling outside.

She had never experienced anything like this, she told CNN.

“Hurricane Matthew was bad. I thought Hurricane Matthew was the worst. But this is ten times worse,” she said.