Devastating images are starting to surface from the Bahamas showing the scale of destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian during the last several days.

Hurricane Dorian crossed the Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas last weekend as a category five hurricane, with one minute sustained wind speeds of 295km/h near its core. Dorian then traveled across to the Grand Bahama Island, where it unleashed days of heavy rain, hurricane force winds and a powerful storm surge.

Hurricane Dorian finally started moving away from the Bahamas on Tuesday and as calmer weather starts to return to the Bahamas, the damage can be surveyed.

Video footage captured from helicopters show that Dorian's powerful winds and large storm surge flattened buildings and stripped trees on the Abaco Islands. Boats were torn from their moorings and have been strewn across the landscape, along with cars, shipping containers and other debris.

The calmer weather will also allow authorities to explore the islands and get a better idea of how many lives were lost during the last several days.

Hurricane Dorain was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Bahamas. It was also the equal second strongest hurricane in the Atlantic Basin since records commenced in 1950.