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141 Emergency Shelters Confirmed for The Bahamas – 2025 Hurricane Season

Tue, Jun 17th 2025, 09:34 AM
Accident/Emergency Weather Bahamas Local Stories

With most of The Bahamas sitting just a few feet above sea level, the threat of storm surge is a very real and potentially deadly concern during hurricane season. In many communities, a rise in ocean water of just 4–6 feet can breach homes, flood roadways, and cut off entire settlements. That’s why knowing where your nearest hurricane shelter is — and when to go — is not just wise. It can save your life.


Beyond storm surge, another major concern during hurricanes is the loss of roofing — one of the most common and costly types of damage reported in The Bahamas. According to a regional study on hurricane building performance by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), poorly anchored roofs and structures built without hurricane straps or reinforced eaves are at high risk, even in moderate storms.


Homes constructed before modern building codes, especially those with aging wood framing or minimal tie-downs, are especially vulnerable. And while concrete homes offer more protection, older or unsealed structures still carry risks from wind-driven rain, flying debris, and partial collapse. For families in these homes, evacuation to a nearby shelter isn’t just recommended — it may be necessary.


Shelters Confirmed Ahead of Peak Season


The Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM) has released the official list of 2025 designated shelters, confirming 141 locations across The Bahamas. These shelters have been inspected, approved, and assigned capacities. They include schools, churches, and community centers deemed structurally sound and elevated enough to offer refuge in a major storm.


The complete list of shelters, organized by island, is included below for easy reference.


2025 Official Hurricane Shelter List


Abaco – Central District



  1. Central Abaco Primary School – Marsh Harbour – 880 persons

  2. Friendship Tabernacle – Dundas Town – 250 persons

  3. Guana Cay Primary School – Guana Cay – 90 persons

  4. Man-O-War Primary School – Man-O-War – 80 persons

  5. Hope Town Primary School – Hope Town – 110 persons


Abaco – North District



  1. Amy Roberts Primary Pre-School – Green Turtle Cay – 240 persons

  2. Faithwalk Church of God Community Centre – Cooper’s Town – 170 persons

  3. Grand Cay All Age School, Pre-school Block – Grand Cay – 100 persons


Abaco – South District



  1. Crossing Rocks Primary School – Crossing Rocks – 70 persons

  2. Moore’s Island School – Moore’s Island – 240 persons

  3. Soul Seeking Ministries – Moore’s Island – 200 persons


Acklins



  1. Acklin’s Community Centre – Spring Point – 60 persons


Andros – Central District



  1. Bowen Sound Pentecostal Ministries – Bowen Sound – 100 persons

  2. Church of God – Cargill Creek – 100 persons

  3. Mt. Ethel Baptist Church – Love Hill – 110 persons

  4. Rev. Euthurl Rodgers Primary School – Deep Creek – 90 persons

  5. Friendship Baptist Church – The Bluff – 180 persons

  6. Cleora McKenzie Pre-School – Long Bay Cays – 90 persons

  7. Mount Olive Baptist Church – Smith’s Hill – 80 persons

  8. Burnt Rock Primary School – Burnt Rock, Mangrove Cay – 80 persons

  9. Mangrove Cay High School – Mangrove Cay – 80 persons

  10. St. James Church – Mangrove Cay – 90 persons

  11. South Andros Multi-Purpose Gymnasium – Money Rock Subdivision – 400 persons


Andros – North District



  1. B. A. Newton Primary School – Red Bay – 50 persons

  2. BAMSI Training Centre – BARC Community – 40 persons

  3. Nicholl’s Town Primary & Clara Evans School – Nicholl’s Town – 140 persons


Berry Islands



  1. Church of God of Prophecy – Great Harbour Cay – 120 persons

  2. David A. Dean Community Centre – Bullocks Harbour – 100 persons


Bimini



  1. Gateway Gymnasium – Bailey Town – 500 persons

  2. Louise McDonald High School (4 Classrooms) – Alice Town – 150 persons

  3. Urban Renewal (Special Needs Shelter) – Alice Town – 30 persons


Cat Island



  1. St. Mark’s Anglican Church – Port Howe – 50 persons

  2. Zion Baptist Church – McQueen’s – 50 persons

  3. Seaview Seventh Day Adventist Church – Wilson Bay – 120 persons

  4. Holy Redeemer Catholic Church – New Bight – 100 persons

  5. Mt. Sinai Native Baptist Church – New Bight – 120 persons

  6. Lovely Zion Baptist Church – The Bluff – 60 persons

  7. St. Andrew’s Anglican Church – Arthur’s Town – 60 persons


Crooked Island



  1. Church of God of Prophecy (for Landrail Point, Richmond, Moss Town & Cripple Hill residents) – Cripple Hill – 70 persons

  2. Landrail Point Community Centre – Landrail Point – 70 persons


Eleuthera – Central District



  1. Wesley Methodist Church Hall – Palmetto Point – 50 persons

  2. Church of the Nazarene – Palmetto Point – 50 persons

  3. The Salvation Army – Palmetto Point – 40 persons

  4. Emily G. Petty Primary School – Governor’s Harbour – 80 persons

  5. George E. Johnson Memorial Centre – Hatchet Bay – 50 persons

  6. Bahamas Methodist Habitat (Camp Symonette) – James Cistern – 100 persons


Eleuthera – North District & Harbour Island



  1. Charles Wesley Methodist Church – Lower Bouge – 150 persons

  2. Mission Church of God – Upper Bouge – 70 persons

  3. The Current Community Centre – The Current – 30 persons

  4. Haitian Baptist People Church – The Bluff – 80 persons

  5. Zion Methodist Church – Current Island – 50 persons

  6. New Jerusalem Church – Blackwood – 200 persons

  7. Sir George Robert’s Public Library – Harbour Island – 30 persons

  8. Lighthouse Church of God – Harbour Island – 150 persons

  9. New Alliance Church of God – Harbour Island – 20 persons


Eleuthera – South District



  1. Church of God of Prophecy – Tarpum Bay – 70 persons

  2. Deep Creek Primary School – Deep Creek – 50 persons

  3. Green Castle Primary School – Green Castle – 190 persons

  4. Wemyss Bight Primary School – Wemyss Bight – 140 persons


Exuma & Ragged Island



  1. Bethel Union Baptist Church – Ramsey – 80 persons

  2. Ebenezer Union Baptist Church – Farmer’s Hill – 80 persons

  3. Ebenezer Union Baptist Church – Barraterre – 60 persons

  4. Exuma Resource Centre (Special Needs Shelter) – Hooper’s Bay – 60 persons

  5. Forbe’s Hill Cultural Centre – Forbe’s Hill – 20 persons

  6. Gethsemane Baptist Church – Black Point – 80 persons

  7. Mount Carmel Mission Baptist Church – Rolle Town – 60 persons

  8. Mount Herman Union Baptist Church – Mt. Thompson – 60 persons

  9. St. Johns The Baptist Anglican Church – Moss Town – 30 persons

  10. Aurelia Miller Comprehensive School – Black Point – 60 persons

  11. St. Luke’s Union Baptist Church – Black Point – 40 persons

  12. The New Mt. Olive Union Baptist Church – Hartswell – 60 persons

  13. Mount Olivet Baptist Church – Staniel Cay – 50 persons

  14. Palestine Union Baptist Church – The Forest – 150 persons

  15. St. Andrew’s Community Centre – George Town – 200 persons

  16. St. Margaret’s Anglican Church – Harts/Steventon – 60 persons

  17. St. Mary’s Magdeline Anglican Church – William’s Town – 60 persons

  18. St. Theresa’s Catholic Church – George Town – 110 persons

  19. St. Peter’s Union Baptist Church – Forbe’s Hill – 60 persons

  20. St. Margaret Baptist Church – Stuart Manor – 50 persons

  21. Calvary Mission Baptist Church – Rolleville – 80 persons

  22. Holy Innocents Anglican Church – Duncan Town, Ragged Island – 25 persons

  23. Ragged Island All Age School – Duncan Town, Ragged Island – 100 persons


Grand Bahama – Western District



  1. Bethany Baptist Church – Hanna Hill – 150 persons

  2. Church of God of Prophecy – Seagrape – 100 persons

  3. Central Zion Baptist Church – Pinedale – 60 persons

  4. Church of God of Prophecy – Pinedale – 80 persons

  5. Bethel Baptist Church – Pinedale – 150 persons

  6. New Mount Olivet Baptist Church – Holmes Rock – 100 persons

  7. Eight Mile Rock Gymnasium – Eight Mile Rock – 400 persons


Grand Bahama – Central District



  1. Foster B. Pestina Hall, Christ The King Church (Special Needs) – East Atlantic Drive – 80 persons

  2. Church of Ascension – West Beach Drive & Arden Forest Road – 190 persons

  3. Central Church of God – Coral Road – 130 persons

  4. First Baptist Church – Columbus Drive – 125 persons

  5. Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church – Sandcombe Road – 50 persons

  6. Evangeline Jervis Hurricane Shelter – Anita Doherty Drive & Gambier Drive – 120 persons

  7. Revelation Apostolic International Church – Jobson Avenue – 30 persons

  8. New Life Worship Centre – Coral Road – 150 persons

  9. Calvary Temple Assembly of God – Clive Avenue – 100 persons

  10. Bishop Michael Eldon School Auditorium – Anita Doherty Drive – 300 persons

  11. COGOP Community at Heart (Reserved for aftermath) – Coral Road – 350 persons

  12. Maurice Moore Primary School – Torcross Road & Sandcombe Drive – 820 persons

  13. First Holiness Church of God (Reserved for aftermath) – Young Husband Avenue – 110 persons

  14. Miracle Revival Fellowship (Reserved for aftermath) – Eleuthera Drive, Hawksbill – 150 persons

  15. Sir Jack Hayward Junior High School – Settler’s Way – 360 persons

  16. St. George’s High School Gymnasium – Sunset Highway – 400 persons


Inagua



  1. St. Phillip’s Anglican Community Centre – Matthew Town – 60 persons


Long Island



  1. First Assemblies Discipleship Centre – Salt Pond – 20 persons

  2. Community Centre – Clarence Town – 100 persons

  3. Holy Cross Anglican Church – Hamilton’s – 60 persons

  4. Holy Family Anglican Church – Mortimer’s – 30 persons

  5. Salem Baptist Church – Miller’s – 40 persons

  6. Seymour’s Gospel Church – Seymour’s – 20 persons


Mayaguana



  1. St. James Native Baptist Church – Abraham’s Bay – 60 persons

  2. Mayaguana Comprehensive K–School – Pirate’s Well – 80 persons

  3. Betsy Bay Community Centre – Betsy Bay – 70 persons


New Providence



  1. New Providence Community Centre – Blake Road – 330 persons

  2. Samuel and Cornella Williams Community Centre (Salvation Army) – Meadow Street – 50 persons

  3. Rev. Dr. O. A. Pratt Educational Building (St. John’s Native Baptist) – Augusta & Meeting Street – 150 persons

  4. The Remnant Tabernacle of Praise (Reserved for aftermath) – Carmichael Road – 400 persons

  5. Epworth Hall (Ebenezer Methodist) – Shirley Street – 270 persons (for homeless and persons with physical disabilities)

  6. St. Barnabas Anglican Church – Wulf Road & Baillou Hill Road – 140 persons

  7. Maranatha Seventh Day Adventist – Prince Charles Drive – 140 persons

  8. The Salvation Army – Mackey Street – 60 persons

  9. Pilgrim Baptist Temple – St. James Street – 150 persons

  10. New Bethlehem Baptist Church – Independence Drive – 200 persons

  11. Hillview Seventh Day Adventist Church – Tonique Williams-Darling Highway – 60 persons

  12. Agape Full Gospel Baptist Church – Kennedy Subdivision – 120 persons

  13. New Dimensions Ministries – Joe Farrington Road – 80 persons

  14. Church of God Convention Centre – Joe Farrington Road – 600 persons

  15. Berea Seventh Day Adventist – Baillou Hill South – 50 persons

  16. Canon Neil E. Roach Hall (Holy Cross Anglican Church) – Highbury Park – 100 persons

  17. Ebenezer Mission Baptist – Charles Vincent Street – 120 persons

  18. St. Mary’s Hall (Reserved for aftermath) – Fox Hill – 260 persons

  19. Epiphany Anglican Church – Prince Charles Drive – 100 persons


San Salvador & Rum Cay



  1. Fellowship in Christ Church – Cockburn Town – 40 persons

  2. Gerace Research Centre – United Estates Settlement – 170 persons

  3. Idell Jones Community Hall – Cockburn Town – 80 persons

  4. St. James Native Baptist Church – North Victoria Hill – 50 persons

  5. St. John’s Native Baptist Church – United Estates Settlement – 40 persons

  6. St. Peter’s Native Baptist Church – Long Bay – 20 persons

  7. Rum Cay All Age School – Rum Cay – 30 persons

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