Haiti braces for tropical storm Tomas; hurricane warning issued

Haiti braces for tropical storm Tomas; hurricane warning issued

2010-11-04 12:11:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

MIAMI (BNO NEWS) -- Haiti on Wednesday began to relocate over 1.5 million people who have been living in tents since the January 7.0-magnitude earthquake, as strengthening tropical storm Tomas nears the island, where a hurricane warning was issued.

As of 11 p.m. EDT (0300 UTC), the center of Tomas was located 470 kilometers (295 miles) southwest of Port au Prince, or about 335 kilometers (210 miles) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The storm is moving toward the north-northwest near 9 km/hr (6 mph) with winds of near 75 km/hr (45 mph) with higher gusts.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Haiti and a hurricane watch is in effect for the southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The NHC said a turn toward the north and north-northeast is expected over the next 48 hours, and the center of Tomas is expected to approach Haiti on Friday, and the southeastern Bahamas on Saturday.

The Miami-based center said some strengthening is forecast during the next two days and the storm is expected to become a hurricane on Friday.

Tomas is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 5 to 10 inches over much of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with possible isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches.

The Haitian government ordered schools closed for Thursday and Friday.

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