Hurricane alert as Hanna passes Bahamas

A hurricane watch has been posted in North and South Carolina ahead of Tropical Storm Hanna, which is now passing near the Bahamas.

The US National Hurricane Centre says at midday today Hanna was centred some 280 miles east-southeast of Nassau, and about 760 miles south-southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina.

The storm is moving north-west and forecasters say it could reach the US by tomorrow night at hurricane strength, although rain will hit well ahead of the centre.

Forecasters say windspeed of the sprawling storm remains around 70mph.

The centre is also tracking “dangerous” Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine behind Hanna.

Bahamas national security Minister Tommy Turnquest cancelled all leave for the Bahamas Royal Defence Force to keep soldiers on standby for disaster response.

“I now urge the general public to take the necessary precautions,” Mr Turnquest said at a news conference yesterday.

The storm has drenched the Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico but wreaked the most havoc in storm-weary Haiti, where it flooded the western city of Gonaives.

Authorities later said 61 people have died in floods across Haiti caused by Hanna.