
Five people have died and 21 people are injured as Hurricane Dorian continues to devastate the Bahamas.

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis confirmed Monday that the five deaths occurred on the hard hit Abaco Islands.

Dorian, one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded, weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm earlier Monday with 145 mph winds but remained 'extremely dangerous' in the Bahamas for a second day, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

On Monday evening, Hurricane Dorian was downgraded to a Category 3 storm.

Officials are telling residents to take cover and stay safe.

'We are in the midst of a historic tragedy,' Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said in an announcement Monday.

Water is expected to rise 18 feet to 23 feet above normal water levels during Hurricane Dorian's crawl over the Bahamas

The storm has been downgraded to a category 4, but officials insist the hurricane is still 'extremely dangerous' and residents should take shelter

As the slow moving Hurricane hovers over the Bahamas, residents are left to their own devices as the powerful weather is keeping rescue crews at bay.

Police Chief Samuel Butler said, 'We simply cannot get to you.'

Rescue crews and first responders have been forced to take cover while Hurricane Dorian powers on.

Foreign Affairs and North Abaco MP, Darren Henfield, announced that the severity and full scope of damage cannot be assessed until the weather has begun to clear.

Rising water levels and dangerous weather have kept rescue crews from reaching residents, some of who are reportedly stuck on rooftops

Henfield says: 'We have reports of casualties. We have reports of bodies being seen. We cannot confirm those reports until we go out and have a look for ourselves.'

He urges residents to stay inside and avoid going out in such dangerous conditions.

'Power lines are down, lamp posts are down, trees are across the street – it is very dangerous to be outdoors if you don't have to be outdoors.'

'As soon as the weather permits, first responders will go to those areas where we have reports from individuals who were in distress.'

As of Monday evening, the ZNS Bahamas reported that a storm surge would cause water to rise 18 feet to 23 feet above normal tide levels.

The National Hurricane Center shared a photo mapping out Hurricane Dorian's possible path, with the storm reaching Florida on Tuesday

A video shared on Twitter shows water levels already reaching shocking new heights.

'Flooding reportedly reaching the second story of a home in Freeport on the Grand Bahama Island,' the caption reads.

Water can be seen completely covering the staircase and knocking against the second story glass windows.

A video shared on Twitter showed a Bahama resident's home flooded with water sloshing along the second story

Henfield: 'Power lines are down, lamp posts are down, trees are across the street – it is very dangerous to be outdoors if you don't have to be outdoors'

Bahamas Minister for Agriculture Michael Pintard shared a video of his home being overrun with Hurricane rainfall and flooding his home.

He reportedly told CNN: 'That's my kitchen window that water is hitting, and that has to be a minimum of about 20 feet above the ground.'

A reporter from The Nassau Guardian says Pintard's front door has flown off and officials are trying to get him out of his home

Local authorities inundated with distress calls urged trapped residents on the ravaged island to grab flotation devices or find hammers to smash their way onto their roofs to avoid the rising floods.

Dorian is continuing its path of destruction by swirling westwards at just 1mph and is expected to skirt along the Florida coast tonight, where storm surges and tropical storm force winds are already breaking through.

In the Bahamas, Dorian brought gusts of 225mph and up to 30 inches of rainfall on Sunday, wrecked 13,000 homes, tore down power lines and left Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport under five feet of water by Monday morning. Experts have also warned of a possible storm surge that could send destructive waves crashing into the coast.

Dorian is the second-strongest Atlantic storm on record, and the joint-strongest ever to make landfall, after it barreled into the Bahamas with wind speeds of 185mph on Sunday.

The storm weakened slightly today from a Category 5 to a Category 4 hurricane, the second-highest level, with sustained speeds of 155mph and gusts of 190mph by Monday afternoon. Through the afternoon, Dorian's destructive eyewall continued to lash the Grand Bahama island.

Dorian's current path is forecast to pound Grand Bahama through Monday evening before spiraling perilously close to the east coast of Florida late tonight through Wednesday evening, then it will move north to Georgia and the South Carolina coasts Wednesday night and Thursday, according to the NHC.

Strong winds from Hurricane Dorian pictured blowing the tops of trees and whisking the surface waters of a canal in Freeport, Grand Bahama on Labor Day Monday. Dorian will continue to batter the Bahamas today but will travel 'dangerously' close to Florida tonight before dancing up the southeastern U.S. coast

Minister of Agriculture and Marco City MP Michael Pintard shared this video showing the floodwaters of Hurricane Dorian rising against his door and inside his Grand Bahama home, despite it being 20 feet above ground, on Monday

One woman from the Bahamas shared this harrowing video from her home in Abaco showing her house so severely flooded that her furniture was floating in the murky waters

The water level appeared poised to rise to the second floor of the home in Abaco, The Bahamas on Monday

Wrecked houses: These jarring images offer an inside look at the extent of Hurricane Dorian's devastation that wrecked 13,000 homes. In this home in Marsh Harbor, Bahamas the floor appears to suffer water damage and the roof is fallen in

Strong winds batter Oceanhill Boulevard in Freeport, as Hurricane Dorian passes over Grand Bahama Island this morning

Strong winds and rain hitting the Bahamas Monday morning as the hurricane lingered over Grand Bahama, moving westward at just 1mph

For the Bahamas, the damage is already devastating, the storm is not yet over.

'From all accounts, we have received catastrophic damage to Abaco. We have reports of casualties. We have reports of bodies being seen. We cannot confirm those reports until we go out and see for ourselves,' Darren Henfield, the Bahamian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said.

Eight-year-old Lachino Mcintosh became the first victim of the hurricane when he drowned near his family's home in Abaco. His death was confirmed by his grandmother to according to Eyewitness News.

The young boy is reported to have drowned while his family was trying to seek shelter. Mcintosh's sister, whose age is unknown, is also reported to be missing.

One terrified local shared video showing the high waves hitting the attic of his home, revealing just how severe the floodwaters are.

Bracing for impact: Storm surges started to hit Florida on Monday. A couple pictured above getting splashed by the waves of Hurricane Dorian at Jupiter Beach in Florida

Dorian's furious waves already started to reach Florida on Monday, splashing locals to braved the beach despite warnings

Daredevil: Some brave surfers in Boca Raton, Florida took to the dangerous waters to ride the surges as Dorian swirled closer

Getting closer: Monster waves washed up the Vero Beach, Florida coast ahead of Hurricane Dorian on Labor Day Monday

Here comes the wind: Tropical storm force winds started to hit Florida. This mother watches the high surf with her kids as winds from Dorian blow them backwards

Evacuation time: Authorities in Jensen Beach, Florida pictured blocking a road to aid in the evacuation process Monday

Getting the last minute needs: This woman's umbrella was broken in the gusting winds in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday as she rushed to a Walmart as Dorian is expected to come dangerously close to the coast this evening

The U.S. gets ready: At least one million people in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina have been given mandatory evacuation orders effective as soon as today as Dorian is expected to hit Florida over the next two days, then Georgia and South Carolina later in the week

On Monday 530 flights in Florida were cancelled as a result of the perilous weather as Dorian swirled closer to the U.S.

Lachino Mcintosh, eight, is reported to have drowned near his family's home in Abaco, the Bahamas

As of Monday 12pm ET Dorian is located 25 miles northeast of Freeport and 105miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida

Dorian was spiraling west north west, meaning steadily towards Florida's peninsula, where locals are starting to feel the tropical storm winds, 47mph gusts, and storm surges.

The first sustained tropical storm force wind from Hurricane Dorian was reported in South Florida at Juno Beach Pier just at 12.59pm with winds of 40mph. Gusts were as high as 49mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials say Dorian will come 'dangerously close' to the U.S. seaboard Monday night through Wednesday evening, but it's still too soon to say how close and when or where it'll make landfall.

On Monday 530 flights in Florida alone were cancelled as a result of dangerous weather and about 1,130 were cancelled in the country overall.

However, Dorian could yet veer off course and hit the mainland, with Orlando and even Walt Disney World potentially under threat if the path of the storm changes. Florida may also face a tornado.

'This storm at this magnitude could really cause massive destruction. Do not put your life in jeopardy by staying behind when you have a chance to get out,' warned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Governor DeSantis spoke with President Trump Monday morning and FEMA saying in preparation of Dorian 85 General Needs shelters have been opened, 25 Special Needs sheltered have been opened, 21 Urban Search and Rescue task Forces in Florida are ready tor engagement and 93 nursing homes and assisted living facilities along the east coast have been evacuated.

The U.S. Coast Guard said crews were heading to the Bahamas on Monday for a rapid Dorian repose, traveling from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater in Florida by MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and staging on Andros Island

Coast Guard members pictured at the Air Station Clearwater before flying to Andros Island for a Hurricane Dorian response

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp holds a Hurricane Dorian briefing at the Glynn County Public Safety Complex after ordering 6 counties to evacuate on Monday

Local business in Flager Beach, Florida shut down on Labor Day Monday in anticipation of the hurricane strike

A local business that survived two prior hurricanes in St. Augustine boarded up their shop yet again, checking off Hurricane Matthew Irma and now hoping to survive Dorian

A digger is deployed to help people evacuate from the wreckage of Storm Dorian as it lingered over the Bahamas this morning

One person caught up in the hurricane called for 'prayers' saying that they were 'stuck' in the aftermath of the storm

This satellite image shared Monday at 4pm ET shows Dorian swirling over the Bahamas, perilously close to the coast of Florida

Dorian's path of destruction: This map released Monday at 5pm by the NHC predicts that Dorian will hit the south east U.S. coast over the next few days. There's still a possibility that it won't make landfall at all in Florida. Dorian will then spiral up the eastern coast, bringing with it wind and rain

As of 3pm Monday Dorian was just 105 east of West Palm Beach Florida. This map shows the path of the storm at 4pm EST

As of 4pm Monday Dorian will skirt Miami and Orlando Tuesday morning, pass near Charleston, South Carolina by Wednesday morning then veer off Hatteras, North Carolina by Friday morning and spiral off into the Atlantic

Indian River Police and Fire pictured in a morning briefing meeting preparing for Dorian to hit

Indian River Shores Police Chief Rich Rosell pictured visiting residents who decided to stay on the barrier island, even though Dorian was just miles away

Bunkering down: Two locals in St. Augustine, Florida place plastic over their donut shop to protect it from Dorian's wrath

The Battle in the Bahamas

As Florida braces for impact, Dorian is taking its time over the northern Bahamas in a slow, relentless advance, leaving wrecked homes, shredded roofs, tumbled cars and toppled power poles in its wake.

Dorian will continue to send wind gusts of up to 200mph and storm surge up to 23 feet above normal tide on Grand Bahama Island on Monday, 'causing extreme destruction on the island', as per the NHC.

As the Bahamas are battered, very little information has come from the affected areas of the island. Emergency numbers were reportedly not working Monday afternoon, making rescue efforts challenging.

Officials said before the lines cut out they've received a 'tremendous' number of calls from people in flooded homes and a radio station received more than 2,000 distress messages - including reports of a five-month-old baby stranded on a roof and a grandmother with six grandchildren who cut a hole in a roof to escape the dangerous fast-rising floodwaters.

DORIAN'S PATH Monday: - Dorian will batter the northern Bahamas all Monday traveling westwards at just 1mph with 155mph winds - Dorian will send 200mph wind gusts and storm surge up to 23 feet above normal tide on Grand Bahama Island - Bands of strong rains and winds will hit parts of Florida - A 47mph wind gust was recorded at Juno Beach in Palm Beach County Monday morning - Dorian will come 'dangerously' close to Florida by Monday evening, it's not clear just how close Tuesday: - Bands of rain and strong winds will still affect parts of Florida - Hurricane-force winds are expected in eastern Florida - Coastal flooding will spread north of Florida's coast - The hurricane will still batter the Bahamas, but conditions will improve by night Wednesday-Thursday: - Dorian is expected to move northward, to Georgia, South Carolina - Storm-surge flooding, damaging winds and flooding rain are all possible in these areas Friday - Saturday: - Dorian is expected to race off the Northeast Seaboard but could track close enough to bring rain and some wind to the Virginia Tidewater, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod before it heads toward the Canadian Maritimes by the weekend. Source: The Weather Channel Advertisement

So far only eight-year-old Lachino's Mcintosh has been named as a fatal victim of the storm.

First responders traveled to Abaco Monday morning, as locals are ordered to remain indoors to avoid floodwaters and downed trees and power lines.

'We need you to bunker down. It's going to be another 10-12 hours that we're going to be bombarded with this,' Kwasi Thompson, minister of state for Grand Bahama, warned.

Thompson said despite receiving distress calls about rising floodwaters, rescuers were unable to respond to them due to violent conditions.

Some authorities were instead urging locals to find flotation devices and grab household tools like hammers to break out of their attics if they get trapped by the hurricane, as per WKMG.

On Sunday the Bahamas ministry of tourism said some 80 tourists remained on the affected Islands Saturday evening.

The country's Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said the 'devastation is unprecedented'.

The U.S. Coast Guard said crews were heading to the Bahamas on Monday for a rapid Dorian repose, traveling from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater in Florida by MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and staging on Andros Island.

Information began emerging from the affected islands, with Bahamas Power and Light saying there is a total blackout in New Providence, the archipelago's most populous island.

Most people went to shelters as the Category 5 storm approached, with tourist hotels shutting down and residents boarded up their homes. But many people were expected to be left homeless.

Harrowing video and photos from the hurricane show capsized boats floating in muddy brown water dotted with wooden boards, downed tree branches, water-inundated streets, and flooded homes.

'These hazards will continue over Grand Bahama Island during most of the day, causing extreme destruction on the island,' the National Hurricane Center said today.

Calling it a 'life-threatening situation', the agency warned of 'catastrophic storm surge flooding' on Grand Bahama, urging residents to stay indoors.

Prime Minister Minnis broke down in tears as he addressed a news conference, calling it 'probably the most sad and worst day of my life.'

'We're facing a hurricane... one that we've never seen in the history of the Bahamas,' he said.

The hurricane made its first landfall on the Abaco Islands on Sunday afternoon, causing 'catastrophic conditions' with a storm surge of 18-23 feet.

Wreckage in the wake of Hurricane Dorian which made landfall in the Bahamas on Sunday afternoon

Devastation in the wake of Hurricane Dorian as boats were left upturned by the fierce storm

A lightning strike is seen during stormy weather at Atlantis Bahamas Resort in Paradise Island on Sunday evening

The Category 5 hurricane is seen from the International Space Station on Sunday as it made landfall in the Bahamas

This view from a weather satellite showed Hurricane Dorian making landfall in the Bahamas on Sunday afternoon

Dorian first came ashore Sunday at Elbow Cay in Abaco island at 12.40pm, then made a second landfall near Marsh Harbour at 2pm.

In parts of Abaco 'you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street versus where the ocean begins', said Prime Minister Minnis.

Despite the social media posts shared by Abaco residents showing their house roofs ripped off, smashed and overturned cars, and devastated streets, officials warned people against venturing out into the eye of the storm to take such videos.

Bahamas Minister for Agriculture shared a jarring video on Facebook showing the flood waters inundating his home in Grand Bahama, even though his home is already 20 feet above ground. Water is seen rising and beating against the windows and doors of his home.

Evacuation orders take effect in the U.S.

In the U.S., at least one million people are under evacuation orders in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Mandatory evacuation orders took effect on Monday at 8am in Florida, when state troopers would begin reversing lanes so that traffic can head inland on major coastal highways.

Dorian evacuations MANDATORY EVACUATIONS Florida counties: Brevard, Duval, Indian River, Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie, and Volusia Counties Georgia counties: Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty, McIntosh - effective at noon, ET, Monday South Carolina counties: Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry - effective at noon, ET, Monday VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS Florida counties: Osceola, Palm Beach, Glades, Hendry, Indian River County Advertisement

Current Florida evacuations include Brevard, Duval, Indian River, Martin, Nassau, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie, and Volusia Counties. The evacuation includes Palm Beach County which is home to President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

There are also currently storm surge warnings and watches in effect in Florida's east coast counties.

The entire coast of South Carolina, impacting 800,000 people was ordered to evacuate starting noon Monday.

In Georgia Governor Brian Kemp ordered all six coastal counties east of Interstate 95 to evacuate starting noon Monday.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster says he is taking no chances despite forecasts saying that the storm will move parallel to the coast. His evacuation order is the fourth evacuation order for some locals in four years.

'We can't make everybody happy,' McMaster said. 'But we believe we can keep everyone alive.'

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned his state that it could see heavy rain, winds and floods later in the week.

While many residents have evacuated, some prefer to stay inside their homes and weather out the impending storm.

Indian River Shores has the smallest police department on Florida's Treasure Coast and the only police department whose officers are staying on a barrier island to watch over their sedentary locals.

'Our residents expect a concierge service,' Indian River Shores Police Chief Rich Rosell told Jose Lambiet. 'And a concierge service is what they get. That's why they pay taxes.'

He gave advice, his cellphone number and assurance to the estimated 50 people who chose to stay in the coastal town with a population of 4,000.

Those people included a an elderly bed-ridden woman waiting for the storm with a caretaker.

A business man who wouldn't evacuate without his prized corvette.

A woman who wouldn't go to a shelter without her dog.

'The last thing these residents (who stayed behind) need is to feel abandoned,' Rosell says. 'Their closest family members might be living 1,000 miles away. In some cases, we are the only family they've got.'

If everyone evacuates, Rosell says he and his 15 police officers would close the headquarters and leave the area with their families.

But he won't try to convince stragglers to leave.

'I'd never suggest that they have to go,' he said. 'Some of them would get mad. Other departments pressure residents to leave. That's not how I see my job.'

The storm from space: Hurricane Dorian is seen from the International Space Station in a picture released by NASA, as it tied the record for the strongest storm ever to make landfall last night

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announces mandatory evacuation orders on Sunday as Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 monster, slowly creeps its way up toward the state's coastline

The evacuation orders, which go into effect on Monday, cover the entire coastline, which is home to more than 830,000 residents

The slow-moving hurricane is expected to take days to creep toward the southeastern US coastline

Raging floodwaters are seen above in the northern Bahamas where Hurricane Dorian pounded the archipelago

Strongest hurricanes to ever hit land Hurricane Dorian has tied the record for the most powerful storm ever to make landfall. Dorian's sustained winds of 185mph equaled the so-called Labor Day hurricane of 1935, which hit Florida in September that year. It has also matched Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and Hurricane Wilma in 2005, both of which were also Category 5 hurricanes. Hurricane Allen, which struck Mexico and parts of Texas in 1980, reached sustained winds of 190mph but did not make landfall at that speed. In the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Patricia reached the greatest ever recorded wind speed, with a maximum of 215mph in October 2015. However, it had dropped to 150mph by the time it made landfall on the west coast of Mexico on October 23. Similarly, Hurricane Linda reached 185mph in the Pacific in 1997 but never made landfall at all, though for a time it appeared to threaten Southern California. The four strongest Atlantic hurricanes by wind speed at landfall are: Labor Day, 1935 - 185mph Gilbert, 1988 - 185mph Wilma, 2005 - 185mph Dorian, 2019 - 185mph Advertisement

Several gasoline stations around Titusville were closed. Many grocery stores were open but boarded up. Inside, shelves emptied out fast.

Florida's preparations for the hurricane strike hasn't been without issue. On Monday photos emerged showing alleged price gouging throughout the state.

In one instance a Shall gas station was allegedly selling a case of water that typically costs $3.98 for a whopping $9.

In West Palm Beach gas was selling for $4.09 a gallon, nearly double the $2.79 it was selling at last week.

The attorney general's office is allegedly fielding some 2,100 alleged price gouging allegations following the hurricane warnings.

Orlando International Airport also announced it will close on Tuesday in Florida as the region is under Tropical Storm watch bracing for winds between 40 and 45mph.

Specialists say strong winds and dangerous storm surge are increasingly likely along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

'Tropical-storm-force winds are mostly likely to start in Georgia early on Wednesday, in South Carolina late Wednesday, and in North Carolina early Thursday,' the National Weather Service said today.

In Washington, President Donald Trump met with his emergency management chiefs yesterday and declared 'this looks monstrous.'

However, Trump also sowed confusion by claiming that Alabama was under threat from the storm.

The weather service later slapped him down, without mentioning him by name, promising that 'Alabama will NOT see any impacts from Dorian'.

On top of that, Trump sparked bafflement with his claim that 'I'm not sure that I've ever even heard of a Category 5', despite Dorian being the fourth such storm to threaten the United States since he took office.

With its maximum sustained winds of 185mph and gusts up to 220mph, Dorian tied the record for the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever to come ashore, equaling the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, before the storms were named.

It was also tied with Hurricanes Gilbert (2005) and Wilma (1988).

The map above shows the projected path of the hurricane, though experts warn that it could veer off course and hit the mainland United States

Power lines were down and many homes reduced to rubble, with Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis saying 'you cannot tel the difference as to the beginning of the street versus the ocean

The image above shows homes that were destroyed after they were submerged by the floodwaters in the Bahamas

Strong winds move the palms of the palm trees at the first moment of the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama

The Hurricane made landfall twice, causing devastation across the Bahamas. Winds of up to 185mph and gusts of 22mph were snapping trees, ripping the roofs off of homes

Some restaurants and stores in Stuart, Florida remained open despite being boarded up in anticipation of the hurricane

Pusateri's Pizza in Stuart boarded up its windows while reminding the public that it has braved other hurricanes in the past

Swimmers went to the beach at Hutchinson Island, which is not far from the town of Port St. Lucie

Power and light trucks from out of state travel down the I-95 towards South Florida to help with the possible power outages

This gas station and restaurant in Stuart is boarded up but still operating as of Sunday afternoon

Locals board up homes and businesses in Stuart. The National Hurricane Center forecasts the center of Dorian is to stay off shore while paralleling the South Carolina coast starting Wednesday afternoon

There was no sign of the hurricane on the beach at Hutchinson Island as locals and tourists relaxed on Sunday

A Martin County Sheriff's Office vehicle drives around Sailfish Point, announcing mandatory evacuation orders over a loudspeaker on Sunday

Miguel Vidal, of West Palm Beach, catches a wave at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park on Sunday

The image above was photographed from the inside of the eye of Hurricane Dorian as it hovered over the Bahamas on Sunday

Hurricane Dorian batters the Bahamas Sunday

Shocking video circulated on Sunday shows Dorian's brutal blow in Abaco in the Bahamas, showing homes missing parts of their roofs, utility lines down and cars overturned. One of the videos shows floodwaters rushing through the streets of an unidentified town.

Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis is lamenting the devastation from Dorian, a Category 5 monster that began battering northwest portions of the archipelago on Sunday.

He says that on parts of the island of Abaco, 'you cannot tell the difference as to the beginning of the street versus where the ocean begins.'

'It's devastating,' said Joy Jibrilu, director general of the Bahamas' Ministry of Tourism and Aviation.

'There has been huge damage to property and infrastructure. Luckily, no loss of life reported.'

Earlier, Minnis had warned that anyone who did not evacuate was 'in extreme danger and can expect a catastrophic consequence.'

The fierce wind gusts nearly toppled this entire gas station in the Bahamas on Sunday

The image above shows the scale of the devastation left by Hurricane Dorian, which continues to pound the Bahamas on Sunday

Debris from a home which collapsed and had its roof torn off is seen floating in floodwaters in the northern Bahamas on Sunday

Raging floodwaters engulfed the northern Bahamas on Sunday as the slow-moving Category 5 hurricane dumped buckets of rain

The damage to the interior of a home in the northern Bahamas is seen above. The roof appears to have been torn off while pieces of the wall look to have collapsed

The government opened 14 shelters across the Bahamas. Dozens ignored evacuation orders, officials said.

'The end could be fatal,' said Samuel Butler, assistant police commissioner. 'We ask you, we beg you, we plead with you to get to a place of safety.'

Bahamas radio station ZNS Bahamas reported a mother and child in Grand Bahama called to say they were sheltering in a closet and seeking help from police.

Silbert Mills, owner of the Bahamas Christian Network, said trees and power lines were torn down in Abaco.

'The winds are howling like we've never, ever experienced before,' said Mills, 59, who planned to ride out the hurricane with his family in the concrete home he built 41 years ago in central Abaco.

Earlier Saturday, skiffs shuttled between outlying fishing villages and McLean's Town, a settlement of a few dozen homes at the eastern end of Grand Bahama island, about 150 miles from Florida's Atlantic coast.

Most came from Sweetings Cay.

'They said evacuate, you have to evacuate,' said Margaret Bassett, a ferry boat driver for the Deep Water Cay resort.

Sea conditions are seen in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sunday in this still image taken from a video posted to social media

The Bahamian government said that some parts of Marsh Harbour, which is in Abaco, were underwater

Photos posted by locals on social media showed flooding and impassible roads in Marsh Harbour

A man stands on a store's roof as he works to prepare it for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Sunday

This video grab handout Facebook image obtained on Sunday courtesy of Rich Roberts shows storm activity in Man-O-War Cay, Bahamas

Man-O-War Cay is a small island in the Abaco region of the Bahamas. According to the 2010 census, the population of Man-O-War Cay was at 215

Yolande Rolle carries sandbags to place at her shop's doorstep as she prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Sunday

The slow-moving hurricane is expected to pass over Freeport sometime during the afternoon on Monday

A baby sleeps inside a church that was opened up as a shelter for residents who will wait out Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sunday

Local resident David Flint Wood captured this video of the effect Hurricane Dorian is already having on Harbour Island in the Bahamas Sunday morning

The National Hurricane Center is urging people in the Bahamas to stay inside as the eye passes over

But Jack Pittard, a 76-year-old American who has visited the Bahamas for 40 years, decided to ride out the storm - his first hurricane - in Abaco.

He said he battened down his house to spend the storm in a nearby duplex. He noted the ocean is quite deep near where he was staying, and there is a cay that provides protection.

A short video from Pittard about 2:30pm showed winds shaking his home and ripping off its siding.

Over two or three days, the hurricane could dump as much as 4 feet of rain, in addition to the winds and storm surge, said private meteorologist Ryan Maue.

Harris, the government spokesman, said Dorian could affect 73,000 residents and 21,000 homes.

STUNNING IMAGES SHOW THE 'STADIUM EFFECT' FROM THE EYE OF HURRICANE DORIAN The eye of Hurricane Dorian is seen from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft during a reconnaissance mission over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday Hurricane hunters snapped dramatic photographs showing the inside of Dorian's eye. An NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft made the journey into the center of the Category 5 hurricane on Sunday afternoon as it wreaked havoc over the northern Bahamas. It snapped breathtaking photographs showing a 'stadium effect' in which clouds form a kind of semi-circle while the sun shines above in clear blue skies. It is called the stadium effect because the cloud formations resemble the 'bowl' of a sports stadium. This is caused by air parcels which ascend in a spiral along the eyewall. This ascension causes the eye to appear larger as the altitude increases, creating the 'stadium effect.' The images were taken by meteorologists servings with the Air Force Reserves 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron based at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. The 'hurricane hunters' were flying in a Super Hercules aircraft fitted with equipment that gathered information ranging from temperature, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, and surface pressure. The eye of a storm is the calm center that usually measures between 20 and 40 miles in diameter. It is surrounded by an eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms that pack the harshest thunderstorms and wind gusts. It snapped breathtaking photographs showing a 'stadium effect' in which clouds form a kind of semi-circle while the sun shines above in clear blue skies. It is called the stadium effect because the cloud formations resemble the 'bowl' of a sports stadium Advertisement

The archipelago is no stranger to hurricanes.

Homes are required to have metal reinforcements for roof beams to withstand winds into the upper limits of a Category 4 hurricane, and compliance is generally tight for those who can afford it.

Risks are higher in poorer neighborhoods, with wooden homes in low-lying areas.

Dorian is also tied for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall on record, on par with the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.

'This is a life-threatening situation. Residents there should take immediate shelter. Do not venture into the eye if it passes over your location,' the NHC said in an advisory after landfall.

As the eyewall of the storm hit the island, it bent utility poles and snapped trees and beat buildings with the howling wind.

Minnis announced Sunday parts of Marsh Harbor - a town of more than 6,000 - appeared to be 'underwater', sending desperate locals onto their roofs for shelter from the floodwaters.

In one heartbreaking video a mother is heard pleading for help and prayers as she is stuck in the upper level of her Abaco Islands home with her baby while huge floods of water inundate the street.

Hurricane Dorian intensified to a Category 5 on Sunday morning as it bore down on the northern Bahamas with howling winds, surging seas and a threat of torrential rains, forcing some evacuations and hotel closures. Dorian pictured above in this satellite image as it approaches the Bahamas and Florida early Sunday

Slamming down: Hurricane Dorian began to batter The Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sunday afternoon with 180mph winds and wind gusts of over 200 mph

Video taken by locals show how the hurricane ripped the roof of local buildings as Dorian descended in the Bahamas, sending this apartment underwater

The Bahamas were hit with 185 mph winds and gusts of 220 mph as well as storm surges that exceeded 20-f

Landfall: This video shows the start of Hurricane Dorian's wrath in Nassau in the Bahamas Sunday morning

Women pictured sitting on cots in a church that has been turned into a shelter for residents waiting out Hurricane Dorian in Freeport on Grand Bahama on Sunday as the storm made landfall

Waiting out the storm: A mother looks after her family on cots at a church turned into a shelter as Hurricane Dorian pounded down on the northern Bahama islands Sunday afternoon

The storm 'is one that we have never seen in the history of the Bahamas,' Bahamian Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said during a Sunday press conference after Dorian touched down, adding the town of Marsh Harbor - home to 6,000 - appeared to be 'underwater'. Minnis pictured Saturday

Shops in Palm Beach, Florida are shuttered and boarded up as Floridians brace for the possible impact of Dorian

The image above shows boarded up windows in Palm Beach, Florida on Saturday

Locals and tourists enjoy the beach before the arrival of Hurricane Dorian in St. Augustine, Florida on Saturday

President Trump tweeted Sunday: 'Looking like our great South Carolina could get hit MUCH harder than first thought. Georgia and North Carolina also. It's moving around and very hard to predict, except that it is one of the biggest and strongest (and really wide) that we have seen in decades. Be safe!'

On Saturday night, Vice President Mike Pence said Trump was receiving briefings and updates at Camp David.

'It's an extremely dangerous hurricane, and while some are reporting changes in the track, anyone in the path of Hurricane Dorian should listen to state and local and first responders and public safety personnel and heed their warnings,' Pence said.

Pence says FEMA officials are reassessing where to deploy assets as they track the hurricane.

Riverside Mobile Home Park resident Rob Chambers works to secure his neighbor's air conditioner before leaving the park which is under mandatory evacuation in Jensen Beach, Florida

Miami Beach is already experiencing flooding thanks to one of the season's highest tides of the year, a king tide. Pictured: Weston Rice drives through a flooded parking lot as he prepares to drop his jet ski into the water at the Haulover Marine Center on Friday

As much as 15 inches of rain could fall on the already flooded area. Pictured: People walk to their boat through a flooded parking lot at the Haulover Marine Center

Miami Beach residents Omar, left, and Endre Eles place hurricane shutters over windows ahead of Dorian on Friday

Workers cover stained glass windows with plywood sections at the Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church in Flagler Beach, Florida, in preparation for Hurricane Dorian on Frida

Supplies at a Walmart in West Miami run low on Friday as residents prepare for Hurricane Dorian

Long lines form for gas at a Costco in Miami as a shortage of fuel spreads across the state

Food and other supplies are expected to disappear quickly as shoppers wait in a long line for a Sam's Club store to open before sunrise

A supervised work crew of female jail prisoners fills sandbags for distribution to local residents in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian

Local residents wait in their vehicles to receive a limit of ten sandbags per car at a sandbag distribution location in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Dorian

The Florida Department of Emergency Management tweeted a lengthy checklist of supplies to have on hand on Wednesday

A resident fills gas cans in preparation for Hurricane Dorian on Thursday in Winter Springs, Florida

In Brevard County over 100 vehicles lined up at Thursday morning for free sandbags being filled by trustees from the Brevard County Jail