- Title: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Isaac barrels in on Dominican Republic.
- Date: 24th August 2012
- Summary: FAMILY SITTING ON PORCH WATCHING THE STORM
- Embargoed: 8th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Dominican Republic
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Topics: Disasters,Environment
- Reuters ID: LVAA1HK9TLS7ULGYEOCQ718KPS6D
- Story Text: Residents in the Dominican Republic brace for landfall of Tropical Storm Isaac.
Tropical Storm Isaac headed toward the Dominican Republic and Haiti on Friday (August 24), continuing its march across the Caribbean after unleashing heavy rain on parts of Puerto Rico.
The blue waters churned off the coast of Enriquillo as heavy wind and rainfall pelted the beaches here near the southwest tip of the Dominican Republic about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city of Barahona.
Isaac is forecast to remain a tropical storm after crossing the island of Hispaniola, shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and then passing over Cuba into the Florida Straits.
Many forecast models show it eventually taking a track into the Gulf of Mexico, strengthening into a hurricane and possibly making landfall near Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana or Mississippi on Tuesday.
Residents here were seen battling the weather before the brunt of the storm arrived even as authorities began evacuating people living on the banks of rivers, streams and areas vulnerable to landslides in preparation for the approach of Isaac, whose effects were beginning to be felt with showers and high winds in the south of the country.
Other residents took shelter in their homes as the dark skies rolled in over the island and they waited for the arrival of the storm.
The National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said Isaac was centred about 135 miles (215 kilometers) south-southeast of Port-au-Prince early Friday afternoon, packing top sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (95 kilometers per hour).
The storm was moving northwest at 14 mph (22 kph), and some additional strengthening was possible before Isaac's centre passed near or over the island on Friday night.
Isaac was expected to dump between 8 and 12 inches (20 to 30.5 cm) of rain over parts of Hispaniola, and the NHC said total accumulations of up to 20 inches (51 cm) were expected in some areas.
Authorities are keeping a close eye on Isaac which may strike Tampa where the Republican national convention will take place. But so far, at least, there are no plans to postpone the four-day convention where former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will receive the Republican presidential nomination. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains identifiable children: users must ensure that they comply with local laws and regulations governing the publishing of this material.
