Nassau, September 1 (RHC)-- Hurricane Dorian -- a Category 5 storm -- made landfall on the Abacos Islands Sunday afternoon.  With sustained winds of 180 mph (289 kph) and gusts of 220 mph (354 kph), the storm is the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

While local officials pleaded for those in Dorian’s path to make for higher ground, those that remained caught the storm’s awesome power on video.  Torrents of flood water can be seen, followed by the winds, churning through streets and threatening to sweep away entire buildings.

One video-photographer called the storm "catastrophic."  The images show damage to cars, trees, houses and utility poles tossed around by the storm, with some structures completely levelled.

As the relatively calm eye of the storm passed, the National Hurricane Center warned local residents to return to shelter immediately, as winds could unexpectedly pick up again at any moment.

From the Bahamas, the Category 5 hurricane is heading west at a slow speed, gaining in strength as it aims toward the U.S. East Coast.