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Florida emergency for storm Fay | |
(1 day later) | |
The US state of Florida has declared a state of emergency ahead of the arrival of tropical storm Fay, which has swept through the Dominican Republic. | |
One woman has died there and her two nephews were missing after their truck became engulfed in water east of San Domingo, Dominican Republic's capital. | |
More than 2,000 people were evacuated, hundreds of homes have been damaged while a further 15,000 have lost power. | |
Fay could become a hurricane as it moves towards Cuba then on to Florida. | |
Sustained winds of 75km/h (45mph) and rainfall of 20cm (eight inches) were recorded in the Dominican Republic. | |
Stocking up | |
On Saturday, the storm moved across Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, with red alerts issued along with orders to evacuate specific areas. | |
Authorities in Cuba have issued a "hurricane-watch" for three provinces. | |
HOW HURRICANES FORM Sea surface temperatures above 26.5C (79.7F)A pre-existing weather disturbanceMoisture in the atmosphereFavourable conditions, such as light winds or weak wind shear Animated guide: Hurricanes | |
On Saturday afternoon, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said the storm was 80km (50mph) south south-east of Guantanamo, Cuba. | |
Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the Turks and Caicos islands, the south-eastern Bahamas, while Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, south of Cuba, issued a tropical storm watch. | |
The storm is expected to reach Florida after it crosses Cuba on Sunday. | |
US weather forecasters said Fay was not expected to strengthen, but that torrential rainfall of 30.5cm could be expected. | |
Florida's Governor Charlie Crist declared a state of emergency, saying Fay threatened a "major disaster". | |
Fay could hit the Keys on Monday and residents of Miami have been stocking up on bottled water, fuel and emergency items. | |
Fay is the sixth tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. | Fay is the sixth tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. |
Two of the tropical storms so far, Bertha and Dolly, have reached hurricane strength - with winds of at least 119km/h. | Two of the tropical storms so far, Bertha and Dolly, have reached hurricane strength - with winds of at least 119km/h. |