Page 51 - Patrick Oppmann News Today

Near where we are staying, came in asking for water and towels. we gave it to them. they are bringing their pets, carrying them in their arms. there was one woman who had broken her hip. they were carrying her. people are desperate. theres no way to get help to them. officials are overstretched, as well. its too dangerous for emergency officials to come into the area, where so much of the weather is raging. so, despite the fact that its been almost two days since dorian first hit the bahamas, in...

Little bit more, especially for grand bahama island to see the water recede there. >> youve said it. you see the word on the screen, unprecedented. this is unprecedented destruction. weve got a correspondent down in the bahamas. patrick oppmann keeps reporting as the light of day -- as the sun came up this morning, conditions were much worse than expected. i think that is an understatement. when you get this birds-eye view of great abaco. again, were hearing 13,000 homes gone. thats according to...

You know, minutes later, was already halfway up their door. they couldnt open up the door to get out. just imagine that thats how quickly it happens. thats how little time you have to run for your life. and i think at a certain point, things became very critical here very quickly, and for people they just werent able to anticipate that. i dont think anybody could anticipate that. things happened late yesterday afternoon, much more quickly than people were prepared for. >> reporter: patrick, i do...

Cutters and four helicopters are conducting rescue operations. theyve already saved 19 people. patrick oppmann is on the ground in freeport. >> reporter: dave, christine, hurricane dorian continues to batter grand bahama hour after hour. you would think this storm would quit, but so far it is not showing any signs of easing up on this island where people have lost roofs. theyve had their cars submerged, houses submerged under water and there is the fear that people could have lost their lives. o...

Overnight hours so it is a hurricane that simply does not want to give the people on this island that have already suffered so much a break. dave, christine. >> patrick oppmann there. thank you. mandatory evacuation orders in the tract. the hurricane is expected to reach the carolinas by thursday evening and ahead of the storm the charlotte motor speedway has opened its campground to hurricane evacuees. so has the bristol motor speedway in tennessee. in charleston, south carolina, i-26 now, one ...

But until the airport opens here, until the government is able to bring in boats with resources and sliupplies, its t clear how the situation can improve or when there can be a wide-scale search and rescue effort. so for the moment even as the weather slowly clears, people here in this part of the bahamas are still very much on their own. patrick oppmann, freeport, the bahamas. >> reporter: and our thanks to patrick oppmann and his team for that. what they have been experiencing is nearly beyond...

Well have to keep watching it. hurricane hunters are out there looking for it, men and women putting their lives in harms way for us. john. >> reporter: chad myers, thank you very much for that forecast. one thing chad said was chilling. the ragged eye wall still, still over freeport in the bahamas. it has been there for days. our patrick oppmann and his team have been riding out the storm there. i dont think they have slept in two full nights. communications have been coming and going as they c...

Standing will be underwater. islands around us which are more low-lying will be completely submerged. it is a terrifying prospect for the many people who have decided to ride out this storm on those low-lying parts of this island and other islands around us. so not much people can do at this point because the weather is kicking up. conditions are deteriorating. and this is a storm for the history books. hurricane dorian is going to hit the bahamas in a way that this island chain has never experi...

The bahamas in a way that this island chain has never experienced. so chantix can help you quit slow turkey.key. it is going to hit the bahamas harder than any hurricane ever has before. along with support, chantix is proven to help you quit. patrick oppmann, cnn, freeport, the bahamas. with chantix you can keep smoking at first and ease into quitting. >> chef jose andres joins us now chantix reduces the urge so when the day arrives, from the bahamas. youll be more ready to kiss cigarettes goodb...

Safe to go outside. the storm remains over us and remains very dangerous. im going to throw it back to you guys. >> all right. patrick oppmann and his team there. please stay safe. i cant imagine what it has been like over the last 24 hours to be there, and its miraculous were getting a signal out from freeport right now given what they have been through, erica. 165-mile-per-hour winds right now with 185 yesterday. patrick says he didnt get a wink of sleep and you couldnt stand up. there would b...