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Why was Hurricane Dorian considered a major national crisis for The Bahamas?

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Flag of The Bahamas — The Bahamas The flag of The Bahamas was officially hoisted on July 10, 1973, the date of the nation's independence from the United Kingdom.

Hurricane Dorian was considered a major national crisis for The Bahamas due to the catastrophic scale of destruction it inflicted upon the islands in September 2019. As the strongest hurricane on record to strike the nation, the category 5 storm stalled over Great Abaco and Grand Bahama Island for nearly two days, causing widespread devastation.123

The crisis was defined by several severe impacts:
* Humanitarian Toll: The storm claimed approximately 75 lives, left hundreds of people unaccounted for, and displaced more than 29,000 residents, rendering them homeless.123
* Infrastructure and Housing: Persistent winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges flooded over 75 percent of homes on Great Abaco and caused extensive damage to essential infrastructure and entire ecosystems across the affected islands.12
* Economic Impact: The disaster resulted in estimated damages of approximately $3.4 billion, placing an immense strain on the nation's resources.23

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis characterized the event as one of the greatest national crises in the country's history due to this unprecedented level of destruction.3