PHOTOS: Hurricane Dorian's destruction of the Bahamas captured from above

This photo shows destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
This photo shows destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)

The destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas could cost “hundreds of millions, if not billions” of dollars to repair, according to the deputy prime minister, as aerial images showed whole neighborhoods destroyed.

With at least seven reported dead and scores more still missing, helicopters operated by the U.S. Coast Guard among others were delivering emergency supplies to residents on the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama, the two worst hit locations in the Caribbean nation.

“It’s total devastation. It’s decimated. Apocalyptic,” said Lia Head-Rigby, who helps run a local hurricane relief group, after flying over the Abaco Islands. “It’s not rebuilding something that was there; we have to start again.”

She said her representative on Abaco told her there were “a lot more dead,” though she could not provide numbers, as bodies were still being gathered. Images on local media showed bodies being put on a truck, and there were fears others may have been washed out to sea during the storm surges that inundated the islands.

According to reports early on Wednesday, some people remained stuck on rooftops waiting to be rescued. The death toll is expected rise in the coming days.

As the storm diminished from a powerful Category 5 and moved on toward the U.S. coast, the full scale of the damage started to be revealed, with airports underwater and whole residential neighborhoods smashed by pounding waves and winds that reached 185 miles per hour.

Initial assessments suggested that thousands of buildings had been damaged, some beyond repair, while people took shelter in cramped attic spaces to escape the rising floodwaters.

Aerial and satellite images showed floodwaters covering much of the northern islands.

The health minister, Duane Sands, said Hurricane Dorian left the main hospital on Grand Bahama unusable, while the hospital at Marsh Harbor on Abaco was in need of food, water, medicine and surgical supplies. He said crews were trying to evacuate up to seven kidney failure patients from Abaco who had not received dialysis since Friday. (Reuters)

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PHOTOS: Hurricane Dorian bashes the Bahamas »

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Destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
Destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
The destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian is seen from the air, in Marsh Harbor, Abaco Island, Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Gonzalo Gaudenzi/AP)
The destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian is seen from the air, in Marsh Harbor, Abaco Island, Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Gonzalo Gaudenzi/AP)
An aerial view of devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
This photo shows destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
This photo shows destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
Destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
Destruction from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald via AP)
A resident dries clothing and a mattress after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
A resident dries clothing and a mattress after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Marco Bello/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Marco Bello/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas,Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas, Sept. 4, 2019. (Photo: Joe Skipper/Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
Aerial images show floodwaters covering much of the northern islands. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view of devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
The Abaco Islands, pictured, and Grand Bahama were the two worst hit locations in the Caribbean nation. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the Marsh Harbour Airport after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the Marsh Harbor airport after Hurricane Dorian. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows the Marsh Harbour Airport after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows the Marsh Harbor airport under floodwaters after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
Initial assessments suggested that thousands of buildings had been damaged in the hurricane, some beyond repair. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
The destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas could cost “hundreds of millions, if not billions” of dollars to repair, according to the deputy prime minister, as aerial images show whole neighborhoods destroyed. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
Aerial images show whole neighborhoods destroyed by Hurricane Dorian. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this image obtained via social media. (Photo: Michelle Cove/Trans Island Airways/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial image shows floodwaters covering much of the northern islands. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
A view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view shows devastation after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, September 3, 2019, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)
An aerial view of the devastation after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas, Sept. 3, in this still image from video obtained via social media. (Photo: Terran Knowles/Our News Bahamas/via Reuters)

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