The Bahamian people had been warned of an unwelcome visit of Hurricane Dorian, with some evacuated to join other relatives out of the way of the hurricane.
Yet, when the hurricane made landfall on September 1 at some of the Abaco Islands, nothing could have prepared anyone for the havoc it caused. Considered the strongest hurricane in modern records to strike the northwestern Bahamas, the disaster displaced humans and animals while destroying buildings, uprooting trees, flooding homes and tossing cars and boats.
Already, the damage from Hurricane Dorian in the Caribbean is estimated to be over $3 billion, with 70,000 people reported to be without homes. CNN reports that the death toll is over 43.
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Often, celebrities of African ancestry have been chastised for not showing up when tragedy hits. They are usually required to make financial commitments and bring their influence to bear to help smoothen the tough fate starring the victims in the eye.
On the occasion of Dorian attacking the Caribbean, however, a good number of notable black celebrities have stepped up to the plate, made financial commitments and used their other resources to bring relief to victims in the Bahamas. The following are some of them:
Michael Jordan
Chicago Bulls legend and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan has pledged $1 million to organizations assisting with Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas. Spokeswoman Estee Portnoy made the announcement on Twitter, noting Jordan was “devastated” at the destruction in the Bahamas.
Statement From Michael Jordan pic.twitter.com/JIcPGE8y2C
— Estee Portnoy (@esteep) September 10, 2019
Jordan is reported to be a regular visitor to the island as he maintains a property there.
Tyler Perry
The actor cum producer has warmed his way into many hearts and minds and when Hurricane Dorian was pounding the Bahamas, reports suggested Perry dispatched his personal seaplane, based in Nassau, Bahamas, to provide aid to those affected by the tragic hurricane in the Caribbean nation.
According to TMZ, Tyler’s seaplane sent several shipments to those left with nothing after losing their homes, family members and businesses.
Among the supplies Abaco residents got from Perry were bottled water, juice, diapers, sleeping bags, hygiene products and several other basic necessities, with the aircraft bringing back passengers who needed immediate medical attention during the return trips.
Ludacris
For rapper cum actor Ludacris, he took to Instagram to pledge a sum to the survivors of the hurricane attack.
“Over 100k Raised over The Weekend!!” Luda captioned in a photo on Instagram announcing his intention to donate proceeds from LudaDay Weekend to a relief fund for victims of Hurricane Dorian. “THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT!! ?????? NOW WATCH ME WORK!!”
Rihanna
On Saturday, September 6, Rihanna, the singer cum business lady, tweeted about a limited collection from Savage x Fenty. She noted that each sale will facilitate a donation to the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), an organization she founded in 2012 which supports education and emergency response programs across the globe.
Limited Edition #SavageXCLF styles are out now at https://t.co/OwYolNKFWR …. I started @claralionelfdn because I believe in people having a chance at a better life through health, education and proactive measures to emergency response. pic.twitter.com/5Enrtu7DaA
— Rihanna (@rihanna) September 8, 2019
The Bahamas needs all the help it can get with insurance estimates suggesting substantial damage to residential, commercial and industrial properties. On East End Grand Bahama, for instance, entire communities and lives have been washed away.
With sustained winds, storm surge and rainfall causing widespread flooding and disaster, treating the chronically ill, securing safe drinking water, sanitation infrastructure and getting food supply through are of critical importance.
