Killer storm picks up force

Floodwaters and mudslides spawned by tropical storm Noel killed at least 48 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, officials said today.

Meanwhile, the storm regained force over water and curved toward Florida and the Bahamas.

The hardest-hit areas so far are the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

In Haiti, the death toll rose from six to at least 18 people dead, including two women washed away by a river in the town of Gantier.

The US National Hurricane Centre said the storm had emerged over the Atlantic and was regaining force after crossing Cuba, where little damage was reported.

The forecasters said it should bend to the north-east, veering away from a collision with Florida while threatening the Bahamas.

At 3pm Irish Time, Noel’s top sustained winds were near 50 mph, up from 40 mph earlier in the day.

It was centred about 175 miles south-south-west of Nassau in the Bahamas and was heading north-north-west.