Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas, with winds ripping roofs of homes and flipping cars.
The National Hurricane Centre in Miami said Dorian made landfall in Elbow Cay at 12.40pm EDT on Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds increased to a monstrous 185 mph.
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis begged residents of Abaco and Grand Bahamas to head for the main island to escape the "devastating, dangerous" storm.
The Standard provided live updates below...