Tropical Storm Noel strengthens, threatens Haiti - Reuters

Source: Reuters

Tropical Storm Noel strengthens, threatens Haiti
Sun Oct 28, 2007 6:24pm EDT

By Michael Christie

MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Noel strengthened
on Sunday as it crept over the Caribbean and threatened
to lash impoverished Haiti with potentially deadly rains,
U.S. forecasters said.

The storm, with top sustained winds of 60 miles per hour
(95 km per hour), was moving slowly toward Haiti's
southwestern peninsula and was expected to head
toward southeastern Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane
Center said.

While the storm's track was highly uncertain, the
hurricane center forecast it was likely to curve back to
the northeast near the end of the week and head out
over the Bahamas into the Atlantic rather than into the
Gulf of Mexico and its important U.S. oil and gas
facilities.

It was also unclear whether Noel, the 14th named storm
of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, would have an
opportunity to strengthen into a hurricane with winds
of at least 74 mph (119 kph) because that would
depend on whether it stayed over warm water or spent
more time over land.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2844009520071028

Source: BBC News

Last Updated: Monday, 29 October 2007, 18:20 GMT

Dominicans die in torrential rain

At least eight people have been killed in flooding
in the Dominican Republic following torrential rains
dumped by Tropical Storm Noel.

The deaths were reported in the Dominican capital
Santo Domingo, and along the south coast.

It is feared the death toll will rise, with several
others reported missing.

The Dominican Republic and neighbouring Haiti were
likely to be deluged by 25-50cm (10-20in) of rain,
the US National Hurricane Center said.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7068193.stm