Florida on hurricane alert

AFTER pelting Haiti and the Dominican Republic with torrential rains and floods that killed at least four people, Tropical Storm Fay lashed south-eastern Cuba with downpours and heavy winds yesterday.

It was expected to churn its way over the centre of the island before heading toward Florida.

Forecasters said Fay was expected to gain force yesterday and could be near hurricane strength when it zeroes in on Florida, where officials have declared a state of emergency.

A light stream of traffic headed out of Key West yesterday, as officials urged visitors to leave the string of low-lying islands.

Fay could start pelting parts of the Keys and South Florida late today or early tomorrow as a strong tropical storm or minimal hurricane.

Officials said schools in the Keys will be closed today and tomorrow.

Cuba’s government issued a hurricane watch from Havana eastward to central Sancti Spiritus province. A man died on Saturday in Haiti while trying to cross a river in Leogane, south of Port-au-Prince.

In the Dominican Republic, a woman drowned with her niece, 13, and nephew, 5, after trying to cross a swollen river in a car.