Hurricane Dorian has hit the northernmost islands of the Bahamas with winds blowing to more than 220mph (355km/h), the most numerous storm to hit the Caribbean island chain in present times.

The “disastrous” category 5 hurricane drove the US states of Georgia and Carolina to issue evacuation orders for their coastline towns on Sunday night as the National Hurricane Center cautioned of storm surges that could arrive at 18ft to 23ft (5.5m-7m) better than average levels.

On the Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas, the floodwaters striking halfway up the sides of people’s homes and tearing off roofs of houses in the footage. The island chain’s homes are worked to withstand winds of 150mph (241km/h). Americans should “pray to God for the people in the Bahamas,” stated Donald Trump from Washington, DC.

Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Hubert Minnis stated in a press conference that a “big storm” was pounding the area. “This will be a challenge that we’ve never encountered,” he replied. “This is most likely the saddest and most exceedingly terrible day of my life to address the Bahamian people. I need to state as a doctor I’ve been prepared to withstand numerous things, but nothing like this.” The Guardian reported. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami stated Hurricane Dorian made a second landfall at 2 pm US ET (1800 GMT) on Sunday. The Great Abaco Island got hit with enormous waves and winds of 185mph with higher winds. That was tied for the most active Atlantic storm landfall on record, with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.