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Haiti, Dominican Republic await Tropical Storm Isaac Tropical Storm Isaac poised to hit Haiti, Dominican Republic
(about 2 hours later)
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are braced for a battering as Tropical Storm Isaac approaches Hispaniola, the island shared by the two countries. High winds and driving rain are lashing the coast of Haiti as Tropical Storm Isaac moves closer to the shore.
Some 400,000 Haitians still living in makeshift camps after a deadly earthquake in 2010 are "amongst the most vulnerable", aid groups warn. The centre of the storm was last reported as being about 100km from the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
Isaac, which is expected to hit the island on Friday evening, has strenghtened in the past few hours. Aid groups warn that some 400,000 Haitians still living in makeshift camps after the deadly earthquake of 2010 are extremely vulnerable.
It will move on to Cuba and the south of the United States by the weekend. Forecasters say Isaac could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The United States National Hurricane Centre (NHCi) predicts that the storm will move near or over Cuba later on Saturday and approach the Florida Keys on Sunday.
The storm could pose a potential threat to Florida during the US Republican National Convention.The storm could pose a potential threat to Florida during the US Republican National Convention.
Disease warningDisease warning
At 18:00 GMT, Isaac - with maximum sustained winds of 100km/h (65mph) - was about 160km (100 miles) south-east of the Haitian capital, Port au Prince, and 480km (300 miles) away from Guantanamo, in Cuba, the href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT4+shtml/240250.shtml" >Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said. Isaac is no longer expected to become a hurricane as it hits the island of Hispaniola - the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic - but the near-hurricane strength winds and rain have the potential to cause great destruction, especially in Haiti.
The storm could unleash up to 20 inches (51cm) of rain on the island.
Isaac is no longer expected to become a hurricane as it hits the island of Hispaniola, but the near-hurricane strength winds and rain have the potential to cause great destruction, especially in Haiti.
"These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the NHC warned."These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the NHC warned.
In Haiti, people living in the makeshift squatter camps were "amongst the more vulnerable, should the storm hit the city", humanitarian group World Vision said.In Haiti, people living in the makeshift squatter camps were "amongst the more vulnerable, should the storm hit the city", humanitarian group World Vision said.
"Without a stable sanitation system or permanent housing, heavy rain and wind can create much larger problems like disease from water contamination," the group's Haiti director Jean-Claude Mukadi was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency."Without a stable sanitation system or permanent housing, heavy rain and wind can create much larger problems like disease from water contamination," the group's Haiti director Jean-Claude Mukadi was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
The country's president, Michael Martelly, has toured some of the camp sites.
"It looks like the south coast is going to get hit, but again we're so fragile here in Port-au-Prince that just some rain can cause a lot of damage," Associated Press quoted him as saying afterwards.
Isaac is also expected to bring rain and wind to nearby Puerto Rico.Isaac is also expected to bring rain and wind to nearby Puerto Rico.
Several Cuban provinces are now on a state of alert, as well as parts of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands. Several Cuban provinces are now on a state of alert, as are parts of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands.
Are you in the path of Tropical Storm Isaac? Are you preparing for the storm? Please tell us your stories using the form below.Are you in the path of Tropical Storm Isaac? Are you preparing for the storm? Please tell us your stories using the form below.