MURPHY TOWN, Abaco - An assessment team lead by Captain Stephen Russell, Director of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, conducted an inspection of the damage caused by a tornado, which stuck the settlement Thursday, May 24, 2012.

William Krezel, Structural Engineer of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Leading Mechanic Sydney Larrimore, of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Technical Department, accompanied Captain Russell.

The team discovered that four properties were “clearly impacted” by a severe weather system, which passed through the islands of Bimini, Grand Bahama, Abaco and adjacent waters. The Met Department had issued a warning of a thunderstorm, which can cause strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning, heavy downpour and possible tornadic activity.

The four properties impacted were: A duplex unit. The lower panels of a door were blown out and the roof suffered minor damage.

The bahamas department of meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning from 1:15pm until 3:15pm, and maintains a watch until 5:00pm thursday 24th, may 2012.A severe thunderstorm warning is now in effect for, bimini, grand bahama, abaco and their adjacent waters while a severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect for berry islands, north andros and their adjacent waters.

At 1:10pm, radar and satellite data indicated   clusters of strong thunderstorms moving northeast from the florida straits toward the warning areas, and isolated strong thunderstorms approaching the watched areas.ome of these thunderstorms have the potential to be severe at times causing strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning, heavy downpours and possible waterspout or tornadic activity.Boaters in the warning and watch areas should remain alert and seek safe harbour and residents in the warning and watch areas should stay indoors and away from windows until conditions improve.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm watch from 10:35 a.m. until 2:00p.m. Thursday 24th, May 2012.

A severe thunderstorm watch is now in effect for North Andros, Bimini, Berry Islands, Grand Bahama, Abaco and their adjacent waters.At 10:30 a.m. radar and satellite data indicated clusters of thunderstorms moving northeast from the Florida straits toward the watched areas.

Some of these thunderstorms have the potential to be heavy to occasionally severe at times causing strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning, heavy downpours and possible waterspout or tornadic activity.Boaters in the watch areas should remain alert and seek safe harbour and residents in the watch areas should stay indoors and away from windows until conditions improve.