Far-reaching Tropical Storm Hanna drenched flood-plagued Haiti on Wednesday, adding to the miseries of a country that has lost 110 lives to mudslides and flooding since mid-August.
The storm that had been drifting south and east finally swung toward the north-northwest on Wednesday. It was expected to sweep across the Bahamas and then start climbing along the US coastline by the weekend, according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami - with a 20% chance it could bring tropical storm force winds to New York City.
Haitian authorities on Wednesday reported five more deaths caused by Hanna, raising the toll to 26.
Floodwaters swamped a hospital in the Les Cayes area, forcing nurses to move patients to higher floors. At least 5000 people in Les Cayes remained in shelters, said Jean-Renand Valiere, a coordinator for the civil protection department.
High water still prevented UN soldiers from reaching the western city of Gonaives, where the rise of muddy water drove people to seek refuge on rooftops Tuesday as wind gusts drove horizontal sheets of rain.
"They are screaming for help," said Iris Norsil (20) who managed to escape the city.
Water rose so much overnight near Gonaives that a bridge people crossed on Tuesday night was under water on Wednesday.
A convoy carrying Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis had to abandon efforts to reach Gonaives when one of the cars was nearly swept away, said Julian Frantz, a Haitian police officer with the group.
"The situation is as bad as it can be," said Vadre Louis, a UN official in Gonaives.
"The wind is ripping up trees. Houses are flooded with water. Cars can't drive on the street. You can't rescue anyone, wherever they may be."
Haiti already had suffered scores of deaths due to flooding cause by Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav in late August.
Hanna was centered about 125km southwest of Grand Turk Island on Wednesday morning, with maximum sustained winds of near 95kmh, the hurricane center said. Tropical storm force winds extended out as far as 465km in some areas - mostly to the north.
It was moving north-northwest at about 17kmh and it was expected to cut through or near the central and northeastern Bahamas over the next couple of days. It could regain hurricane force by Thursday or Friday.
Rain and wind were picking up in the Bahamas, where officials told residents they would shut down the water system on Wednesday night.
"Even though we're not feeling the full effects of the storm, it is rough out there," said Chrystal Glinton, a spokeswoman for the National Emergency Management Agency.
"Persons have been warned to stay indoors. That's what they're doing. Waiting." Haiti is particularly vulnerable to devastating floods because of its steep hillsides that have been deforested to plant crops or make charcoal.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ike was cruising northwestward across the Atlantic with top winds near 110kmh and projected to near the Bahamas by Sunday as a hurricane, though the hurricane center cautioned that "it is too early to determine what, if any land areas might be directly affected by Ike."
Following behind was Tropical Storm Josephine, which grew stronger, with top winds near 100kmh.
And in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Karina weakened to a fading tropical depression on Tuesday.
