The southern islands of The Bahamas were engulfed in chaos and exhaustion yesterday as hundreds of residents scrambled to escape the impending threat of Hurricane Melissa. Officials labeled this as the largest pre-event evacuation in the nation’s history. However, the process was marred by confusion and logistical failures, leaving evacuees stranded without basic necessities. On Mayaguana and Crooked Island, residents reported being locked out of airport terminals for hours, deprived of food, water, and restroom facilities. Elderly individuals were forced to relieve themselves in nearby bushes while awaiting evacuation flights. Social media platforms were flooded with videos and voice notes depicting distressed islanders pleading for updates on their evacuation status. Utica Laurel Lightbourne, a resident of Mayaguana, recounted how residents were instructed to gather at the new airport terminal built by the I-Group at 7am, only to find the building closed. ‘People were crawling into the bushes to use the bathroom,’ she said, sharing a video of dozens of vehicles parked at the airstrip with residents waiting inside. By midday, rumors of flight cancellations spread, leaving many in limbo. Lightbourne criticized the lack of communication and prioritization, claiming Mayaguana was neglected while other islands received evacuation flights. Similar frustrations were echoed on Crooked Island, where Deputy Chief Councillor Elvie Cunningham reported that 180 registered evacuees had received no clear updates. ‘The administrator is in New Providence and hasn’t been informed of any aircraft arrivals,’ she said, describing worsening weather conditions and growing anxiety among residents. Despite these challenges, DRMA executive chairman Alex Storr acknowledged the complaints but assured that evacuation efforts were underway. He described the operation as a ‘learning experience,’ with over 700 people evacuated by Tuesday morning and plans to evacuate a total of 1,453 individuals. Storr emphasized the logistical difficulties, including balancing regular flights with emergency missions and limitations at smaller airfields. He urged residents still refusing to leave to reconsider, warning of Melissa’s potential to bring devastating rainfall and storm surges. Meanwhile, evacuees from Inagua expressed relief at having escaped. Crystal Brown, a 33-year-old mother, said she ‘made the right choice’ to leave with her daughter and sister, while Tamika Major, 26, noted that nearly all of Matthew Town had evacuated. Beverly Anne Thompson, 64, expressed gratitude for the government-organized evacuation, stating, ‘I’m just glad that in case the storm became a monster, I was safe.’