Dangerous weather report for US east coast

Nigeria News.Net
Friday 5th September, 2008

Tropical Storm Hanna has picked up speed, promising to deliver strong winds and heavy rain to the US Eastern coast.

For the weekend, several inches of rain are expected in the Carolinas, as well as central Virginia, Maryland and southeastern Pennsylvania.

Some areas are likely to see up to 10 inches of rain and forecasters have warned of the potential for flash flooding in the northern mid-Atlantic states and southern New England.

The bigger worry for US residents is the ferocious hurricane which follows.

Hurricane Ike is on a path similar to the one taken by Andrew, the Category 5 killer that devastated South Florida in 1992.

Andrew was responsible for 65 deaths and more than US$35 billion in damage.

Ike could hit Florida by the middle of next week, which is why FEMA officials are positioning supplies, search and rescue crews, communications equipment and medical teams in the state.

Tourists in the Florida Keys have already been ordered to leave.

Meanwhile, the first significant aid delivery has arrived in Haiti to help tens of thousands of people struggling after last week's tropical storm caused widespread flooding.

A ship carrying 33 tonnes of relief supplies from the United Nations docked in Goniaves, where conditions have been described as catastrophic.

Tropical storm Hanna was the third to hit Haiti in less than a month and the UN estimates that up to 600,000 people are in need of help.

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