- Title: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Dominicans prepare for Isaac's landfall
- Date: 23rd August 2012
- Summary: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (AUGUST 23, 2012) (REUTERS) VIEW OF PALM TREES ON SEA FRONT PALMS BLOWING IN THE WIND STATUE WITH TREES BLOWING IN THE WIND VIEW OF TRAFFIC WITH DOMINICAN FLAG FLYING OVER HEARD ON BRIDGE CLOSE-UP OF DOMINICAN FLAG VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF THE NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL CENTRE WIND SPEED INSTRUMENT VARIOUS OF SATELLITE IMAGING OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC VARIOUS OF NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL CENTRE WORKERS ON THE TELEPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) METEOROLOGIST JUANA SILVA SAYING: "From Saona Island to Pedernales and the Haitian border, we have a storm warning or tropical storm conditions from Saona Island to the north at Manzanillo Bay. A warning means that these areas in the next 36 hours could feel one or two of the effects associated with a tropical cyclone." MAP SHOWING STORM'S PATH FISHING BOATS GENERAL VIEW OF CITY
- Embargoed: 7th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Dominican Republic
- City:
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Topics: Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA50IFSMOKXG33LLTMZGN0Q5MNX
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Tropical Storm Isaac weakened slightly as it dumped heavy rain off Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Thursday (August 23) but it was expected to strengthen into a hurricane before tearing across the Dominican Republic and Haiti, forecasters said.
Isaac was centred about 225 miles south-southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Thursday morning and moving westward at 13 miles per hour, the U.S. National Hurricane Centre said.
The storm's top sustained winds had dropped to 40 miles per hour, but the re-strengthening was forecast over the next 48 hours.
Juana Silva, a meteorologist at Santo Domingo's national weather centre, said storm warnings are out for the next 36 hours.
"We have a storm warning or tropical storm conditions from Saona Island to the north at Manzanillo Bay. A warning means that these areas in the next 36 hours could feel one or two of the effects associated with a tropical cyclone," Silva said.
Hispaniola is the island shared by both the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the latter of which is highly prone to flooding due to deforestation and mountainous terrain.
The hurricane centre in Miami said Isaac was expected to dump between eight and 12 inches of rain over some parts of Hispaniola, with total accumulations up to 20 inches in some areas.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, also still has hundreds of thousands of people living in tents or makeshift shelters more than 2-1/2 years after a devastating earthquake that took more than a quarter of a million lives.
Isaac also continued to pose a big threat to Florida, where it is on track to make landfall on Monday as the Republican National Convention is due get underway in Tampa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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