STORM DAMAGE, RELIEF AND REBUILDING REPORTS:

Billy Davis on October 10, 1999 at 09:33:59:

My family and friends are still sending supplies, primarily to the north. We have sent over approximately 20 planeloads of supplies-mostly foodstuff and chain saws. One truck load of food and clothes and one load of medical supplies. The ambulance we received from AMR was fully equipped. Two life packs, one for Cooper's Town and one for Marsh Harbour plus back boards, splints, gauge, tape, soap, bleach, saves, lotions, washing products, library books and toys. The majority of these items are being distributed to the north of Abaco by Fr Ken Mackenzie and wife Mary.

A joy was provided to Billie and I as we passed out toys, hundreds, from Crown Haven to Blackwood. We also offloaded carloads of supplies to several families in Blackwood, and Cooper's Town and Hope Town.

I plan to make another trip at the end of this week with a new load of mostly clothes and shoes.

Building materials are finding their way to the needy by the government and others. My next project is to get a FIRETRUCK for Cooper's Town and another Ambulance for the south of Marsh Harbour. In addition, I plan to organize a major crusade to get textbooks and computers into the schools. DO NOT THROW OUT YOUR OLD 286, 386 OR 486 get them to me and I will get them repaired. We will need hundreds.

Textbooks and library books are a major priority. (If the building is still standing), that does not mean the water did no damage; books are wet, we need them all.

I cannot sit at the computer and type to keep the word going forth. If you can help, please advise. Besides those items that will come in naturally I would like to organize for BOOKS, COMPUTERS AND A FIRETRUCK.

WANT TO HELP, SEND ME AN EMAIL (bdavis545@aol.com). I am looking for someone to do the desk and computer work while I go ask companies for things.

September 16-24:

Coopers Town, Crown Haven, Grand Cay and Fox Town all suffered huge damage ... primarily from the storm surge which was reported by ZNS Radio Bahamas at 23 feet. When the surge was combined with the wind driven seas (winds were clocked on Green Turtle in excess of 160mph), the damage became catastrophic.

In the days and months before Floyd, many residents of these settlements barely managed to eke out an existance as resort service workers, fishermen, hard-scrabble farmers, restaurant workers or store employees. Many of these small settlements' residents are single mothers, with all the huge responsibilities of raising children. After Floyd, these hard-working, industrious 'Conians are without homes, food, the basic necessities of life ... and, of critical importance, without jobs for the near-term future.

FACILITY and ACCOMMODATIONS UPDATES (ALL reliable information will be posted here. with news pertaining to Go-abacos sponsors hot-linked to their respective Go-abacos pages):

1 October 1999: Please note that these reports have been provided to The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism directly by the manager and/or owner of each hotel or resort (EXCEPT AS NOTED). In every instance the information has been provided in writing by the manager attesting to the status of his/her property. Where no such written documentation has been provided the status is recorded as "information pending". Updates are made on the basis of further written documentation combined with personal visit to the property to verify this information. Parts of northern and southern Abaco sustained extreme damage. The airports at Treasure Cay and Marsh harbour are open. Power is available in some locations and telephone service has been restored in a limited number of locations.

Island Bay Front Hotel, Grand Cay
Information pending.

The Inn at Spanish Cay, Cooper's Town area
The Inn at Spanish Cay sustained severe damage and is temporarily closed until further notice.

Tangelo Hotel, Wood Cay
The Tangelo Hotel is temporarily closed until further notice.

Walker's Cay Hotel & Marina, Walker's Cay
Walker's Cay Hotel and marina is open. All facilities are available to guests.