Sunday 01 September 2019 9:23 pm | Updated: Sunday 01 September 2019 9:24 pm

‘Catastrophic’ category five Hurricane Dorian hits Bahamas

ATLANTIC OCEAN – SEPTEMBER 1: In this NOAA GOES-East satellite handout image, Hurricane Dorian, now a Cat. 5 storm, tracks towards the Florida coast taken at 13:20Z September 1, 2019 in the Atlantic Ocean. A hurricane warning is in effect for much of the northwestern Bahamas as it gets hit with 175 mph winds. According to the National Hurricane Center Dorian is predicted to hit the U.S. as a Category 4 storm. (Photo by NOAA via Getty Images)

Hurricane Dorian today intensified into a “catastrophic” category five storm and the second strongest Atlantic hurricane on record as hit the Bahamas, which it is expected to batter with rain, winds and waves for two days.

The storm is then forecast to head towards Florida on the US east coast, where several counties issued evacuation orders, although experts say it is likely to narrowly miss the country.

Dorian hit Abaco, a northern island of the Bahamas around 190 miles east of the southern tip of Florida, with winds of up to 220mph, the US’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The Miami-based NHC said: “The core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Great Abaco today and the move near or over Grand Bahama Island tonight and Monday.”

“The hurricane should move closer to the Florida east coast late Monday through Tuesday night.”

Dorian grew larger and more severe over the course of the day and was upgraded to a category five hurricane, which brings with it “a prolonged period of catastrophic winds and storm surge,” the NHC said.

Past category five hurricanes include Katrina, which killed over 1,000 people in 2005 and last year’s Michael, which it is estimated wreaked over $20bn (£16.5bn) damage.

The NHC said “A Florida landfall is still a distinct possibility.” It explained: “A small deviation to the left of the track could bring the intense core of the hurricane its dangerous winds closer to or onto the coast.” Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina could also be hit.

At least seven Florida counties said residents had to evacuate, including Palm Beach, hope to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said on Twitter that he and his wife were “keeping the people of the Bahamas in our prayers”.

“This is a very dangerous storm. We urge Floridians to remain vigilant and heed evacuation orders from local officials.”