Editorial: Our extended family in The Bahamas needs our help after Hurricane Dorian, Palm Beach County

Many are making themselves heard on social media using the hashtag #BahamasStrong, since Hurricane Dorian first began pounding the Abacos and Grand Bahama.

One woman of Bahamian descent, Tammy McDonald, of Boca Raton, posted on Facebook on Labor Day:

"... Lost touch with cousin in Abaco late Saturday. Was in touch with my family until mid-day in Nassau and Freeport. Now I'm not able to reach anyone in the Bahamas. I'm sure you're seeing the devastation. Please pray without ceasing for my uncle, aunt, cousins and friends as well as all the people in the Bahamas; that they survive this horrific Hurricane Dorian." Fortunately, McDonald told the Post Editorial Board that she has since accounted for all of her family,

Florida Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio recognized such connections Wednesday in their joint letter to President Donald Trump asking him "to waive, or otherwise suspend, certain visa requirements for affected citizens of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas who have relatives in the United States with whom they can reside as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives and their country."

They added: "... Perhaps one of the most basic yet meaningful steps our government can take immediately is to ensure that those who have lost everything, including family members in some instances, are provided the opportunity for shelter and reunification with family in the United States."

We agree.

Palm Beach County' enormous luck in this storm -- "We dodged a nuclear bomb," said Brent Bloomfield, West Palm Beach's Emergency Operations Center manager -- came at the enormous expense of Grand Bahama and the Abacos, where the stalled then-Category 5 storm unleashed sustained winds in excess of 185 mph.

It left the islands virtually cut off from assistance. Low visibility and turbulence have hampered helicopter rescuers, and a changed coastline and massive amounts of floating debris have thwarted ship-based emergency services.

This is a scenario we're seeing far too often. The legend of Hurricane Andrew, one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes in recorded history, is being displaced in our lexicon by names like Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria and Michael. Those are just since 2016.

Once again, we are seeing how global warming is making hurricanes stronger, wetter and more destructive. Once again, we are offered a warning to heed what science teaches we must do to reduce these effects in the future.

But for now, we must focus on continuing the relief efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Agency for International Development on the ground there.

Because the first thing our Bahamian family needs is our help.

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