Widespread damage, severe flooding in Bahamas

FREEPORT, Bahamas: After two days of roaring winds  and severe flooding, Bahamians emerged under drizzly skies yesterday  to witness the destruction left by Hurricane Frances — walls  sheared from homes, roofs collapsed, yards littered with boats,  mangled trees and TV sets. The hurricane left at least two dead and one missing, and  officials said they feared the death toll could rise as they  surveyed the damage. The northern island of Grand Bahama appeared  particularly hard-hit, with several neighbourhoods flooded, fallen  trees blocking many roads and snapped power lines lying amid  debris.

Violent winds tore open a wall at Gary Roberts’ home, where  waters rushed in shoulder-deep, ruining furniture and mattresses.  A stray bird fluttered about in the house Sunday as he stepped  across the slick, silty floor. “At least we’re alive. The contents and everything can be  brought back,” said Roberts, a 22-year-old who took shelter  elsewhere during the storm with relatives. His wife, Ronique  Roberts, said a car had floated across their yard during the  hurricane, which stalled over Grand Bahama Island and caused  widespread damage Saturday. It remained unclear how many homes were flooded in the Bahamas, but officials said they estimated hundreds of homes were damaged on Grand Bahama Island alone.

One man was found floating face-down Saturday in about  three feet of water on the western end of Grand Bahama,  police Superintendent Basil Rahming said. Police believe the man  had been trying to swim to safety from his flooded yard. Another  man was electrocuted while trying to fill a generator with diesel  as the storm raged through the capital of Nassau on Friday.

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