(BBC) Hurricane Dorian has made landfall in the north-west Bahamas as a powerful category five storm with sustained winds of up to 180mph (285km/h).
The “extremely dangerous” storm is the strongest hurricane on modern record in the area, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) says.
Grand Bahama residents have been evacuating from its predicted path.
A storm surge could be life-threatening and as high as 23ft (7m) in places, officials warn.
At 11:00 local time (15:00 GMT) the NHC reported “catastrophic conditions” in the Abaco islands in the northern Bahamas.
The storm made landfall at 12:40 at Elbow Cay, the NHC said.
Dorian, moving westward at 7mph (11km/h), is expected to continue to move over Great Abaco Island and near, or over, Grand Bahama Island later on Sunday into Monday.
Authorities closed some airports in the outlying islands, but the main international airport remains open on Sunday.
After hitting the Bahamas, it should move closer to the Florida east coast late on Monday through Tuesday night local time.
US President Donald Trump said he was monitoring Dorian. He cancelled a planned trip to Poland, sending Vice-President Mike Pence in his place.
In a tweet on Sunday, Mr Trump warned Dorian was expected to hit “much” harder than expected and urged residents in its path to be careful.
Hurricanes, which vary in strength from category one to five on the Saffir-Simpson scale, tend to get stronger as they move over warm waters like those off the coast of Florida.