‘No food, no water’ – Hundreds gather at port in bid to escape Bahamas island after hurricane

Hundreds of people have gathered at a port in the Bahamas hoping to escape an island devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

International aid efforts gained momentum as emergency crews hunted for survivors and the missing five days after Dorian blasted the Bahamas with 185mph winds.

Officials said 30 have been confirmed dead but the toll is sure to rise.

Some in the crowd in Grand Abaco, lined up behind a yellow tape, had placed their names on evacuation lists at shelters and arrived as early as 1am, hoping for transport to the capital Nassau.

“It’s going to get crazy soon,” said Serge Simon, 39, who drives an ice truck and was waiting with his wife and two young sons. “There’s no food, no water. There are bodies in the water. People are going to start getting sick.”

There were no government-organised evacuations yet, but the Royal Bahamas Defence Force was helping people board a 139-ft ferry that had come to pick up its employees and had room for an additional 160 people.

The crowd waited calmly as marines separated women and children to allow them to board first, followed by the men.