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| Caribbean storm death toll rises | Caribbean storm death toll rises |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| At least 90 people have died in floods and mudslides sparked by Tropical Storm Noel in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, officials say. | |
| The Dominican Republic authorities say dozens are missing and at least 58,300 have had to flee their homes. | |
| Forecasters have warned of hurricane strength winds in the Bahamas as the storm heads towards the archipelago. | Forecasters have warned of hurricane strength winds in the Bahamas as the storm heads towards the archipelago. |
| And the US National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for Florida's south-east coast. | And the US National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm warning for Florida's south-east coast. |
| Meanwhile with rain still falling on Hispaniola - the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti - rescuers have been struggling to reach communities cut off by the flooding. | Meanwhile with rain still falling on Hispaniola - the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti - rescuers have been struggling to reach communities cut off by the flooding. |
| At least 56 people have died in the Dominican Republic, 34 in neighbouring Haiti and one in Jamaica. | |
| This has just finished me off - it took 60 chickens, 26 pigs - and my family Bienvenido CastilloStorm victim | |
| At 1100 local time (1500 GMT), the centre of the storm was located about 70km (45 miles) south-west of Nassau, in the Bahamas and 280km (175 miles) south-east of Miami, the US National Hurricane Center said. | |
| Forecasters predict the storm will curve north-east over the Bahamas on Thursday, and the government has issued a hurricane watch for the north-west islands. | Forecasters predict the storm will curve north-east over the Bahamas on Thursday, and the government has issued a hurricane watch for the north-west islands. |
| Packing sustained winds of up to 100km/h (60 mph) the storm is expected to cause rough seas and coastal flooding as it passes the Florida coast, forecasters said. | Packing sustained winds of up to 100km/h (60 mph) the storm is expected to cause rough seas and coastal flooding as it passes the Florida coast, forecasters said. |
| Swept away | Swept away |
| Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez has declared a state of emergency for the next 30 days and asked for international help, especially rescue teams and helicopters. | |
| He ordered residents in 36 communities to evacuate because they were in potential flood zones. | He ordered residents in 36 communities to evacuate because they were in potential flood zones. |
| The village of Piedra Blanca was swept away when a swollen river overflowed its banks, killing at least seven people. | The village of Piedra Blanca was swept away when a swollen river overflowed its banks, killing at least seven people. |
| "A lot of people had to choose between losing one child and losing another," Liony Batista, from Christian group Food for the Poor, said. | "A lot of people had to choose between losing one child and losing another," Liony Batista, from Christian group Food for the Poor, said. |
| Bienvenido Castillo, who was rescued by boat, lost his whole family in the storm. | Bienvenido Castillo, who was rescued by boat, lost his whole family in the storm. |
| "I've been here for 20 years and this has just finished me off. It took 60 chickens, 26 pigs - and my family," he said. | "I've been here for 20 years and this has just finished me off. It took 60 chickens, 26 pigs - and my family," he said. |
| In Haiti, the civil protection agency confirmed 10 more deaths overnight, raising the national toll to 34. It warned the total could increase as authorities reach remote towns in the Haitian countryside. | |
| Floodwaters rushed through houses in the shanty town of Cite Soleil in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where UN soldiers set up makeshift shelters for storm refugees. | |
| Some shelters were overwhelmed by evacuees and a local doctor, Virgil Boyer, said he was struggling to provide a blanket for each person. | Some shelters were overwhelmed by evacuees and a local doctor, Virgil Boyer, said he was struggling to provide a blanket for each person. |
| "The biggest problem we have is that these people don't have anything to sleep on," he told the Associated Press news agency. | "The biggest problem we have is that these people don't have anything to sleep on," he told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Haiti is especially vulnerable to flash floods and mudslides because most of its trees have been felled to make charcoal. | Haiti is especially vulnerable to flash floods and mudslides because most of its trees have been felled to make charcoal. |
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