NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Education has advised that due to excessive flooding on the island of New Providence caused by the severe thunder storm, only students sitting the national examinations are to report to school today. All other students are to remain at home, until further notice. This advisory impacts only schools on New Providence.

NASSAU, The Bahamas - The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, is strongly advising residents in the storm-impacted areas to move about with extreme caution due to excessive flooding particularly in low-laying areas.

Residents are also being strongly advised to switch off electricity from the main power sources in their homes and in other properties, if water is seeping under the doors and could impact electrical outlets.

Motorists are being encouraged to remain off the streets as vehicles are being stalled in flooded areas and left stranded along the roadways, which could hamper the easy flow of traffic.

Earlier alerts from the Bahamas Department of Meteorology advised individuals in the Northwest and Central Bahamas to remain alert for the possibility of strong to severe thunderstorms, which will be capable of producing strong gusty winds, dangerous lightning, waterspouts and possible tornadic activity over a 24-hour period.

THIS IS A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY AT 6:00 PM, TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013.

AN AREA OF MOIST AND UNSTABLE WEATHER COMBINED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROF COVERING THE BAHAMAS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND PARTS OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

RESIDENTS AND BOATERS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND BE QUICK TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS, DANGEROUS LIGHTNING, WATERSPOUTS AND POSSIBLE TORNADIC ACTIVITY DURING THE PERIOD. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO FUTURE ALERTS ON THE WEATHER AFFECTING THE ISLANDS DURING THE BNEXT 24 HOURS.

NASSAU, Bahamas -- Super salesman Mario Carey looked out at the group gathered at 7am in a meeting room at the British Colonial Hilton knowing that he had only a few minutes to make one of the most important sales of his life -- to persuade an audience of Rotarians who had already given $25,000 to create the first specially equipped classroom for pre-school age children with autism to reach into their pockets again to salvage financially strapped autism support organisation R.E.A.C.H. and the upcoming summer camp.

"We get no money from government and all of our services are provided for free," said Carey, president of R.E.A.C.H. "Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder. It increased 78% in the last six years and right now affects one in every 88 births, according to a 2012 report by the Centre for Disease Control. One in every 56 boys born in the U.S. today is diagnosed with autism, whether it is high-functioning Asperger's or a child who is so socially challenged that he does not communicate and lives in a solitary world that we cannot even imagine," said Carey, whose own son, Cole, now 16, has Asperger's.

"Cole is the reason I am up here today. He is my inspiration. I am among the fortunate," he continued. "I can afford the extra care, the special school where Cole is now and is doing fabulously well. But most parents of autistic children in The Bahamas are poor. That is why all our services are free, our education, camp, counselling, weekly support groups, the expert we bring in to train teachers and caregivers. We have trained more than 300 this year in Nassau and Freeport, thanks in part to your help from Rotary. We pay all those expenses, airfare, hotel room, and they give of their time for free because they see the need. Most parents in The Bahamas can't afford to pay and we don't want to do anything to discourage them. We want them to know there is help, support, there is a camp in the summer where these children who can't go to any other mainstream camp -- not the police camps or church camps or private camps -- can go."