Tropical Storm Laura bringing torrential rains, life-threatening floods to Haiti and Dominican Republic

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Aug. 23, CMC – Tropical Storm Laura has been pounding sections of the Dominican Republic and Haiti since late Saturday, with torrential rains and life-threatening floods.

In Haiti, it is estimated that up to two million people could be affected and the General Directorate of Civil Protection (DGPC) has activated the National Risk and Disaster Management Plan.

In the neighbouring Dominican Republic, the centre of the storm made landfall in the province of San Pedro de Macorís, in the east of the country.

According to the Miami based National Hurricane Centre (NHC),at 8:00 am (local time), the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 19.1 North, longitude 72.1 West.

Laura is moving toward the west-northwest near 18  miles per hour  and this general motion is expected over the next few days. 

On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move across Hispaniola on Sunday morning and  be near or over Cuba  by Sunday  night and Monday, and over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 miles per hour  with higher gusts and no significant change in strength is forecast during the next 36 to 48 hours while Laura moves over or near Hispaniola and Cuba.

Strengthening is forecast once Laura moves into the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center.

Meanwhile – A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for sections of the Dominican Repubic and Haiti; the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands and sections of Cuba.

A Tropical Storm Watch is also in effect for sections of The Bahamas and the Florida Keys. 

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