Irene gets stronger, aims for Dominican Republic
August 22, 2011 -- Updated 1832 GMT (0232 HKT)
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: The first Atlantic hurricane of 2011 is now forecast to become a major storm
- NEW: Irene caused power outages and flooding in Puerto Rico, the governor says
- NEW: Projections suggest it could reach the Southeast U.S. coast by the weekend
- It will threaten the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Bahamas this week
(CNN) -- The first Atlantic hurricane of 2011 gathered strength Monday as it stormed through the Caribbean, menacing the Dominican Republic and fragile Haiti, as well as Turks and Caicos, after causing widespread flooding, landslides and power outages in Puerto Rico.
Projections called for Hurricane Irene to skirt the storm-killing mountains of the Dominican Republic and Haiti and strengthen into a major Category 3 storm as it approaches the Southeast United States by the weekend, the National Hurricane Center said Monday.
Irene grew into a hurricane early Monday, bringing heavy rain and winds to Puerto Rico, where Gov. Luis Fortuno said the storm had set off numerous landslides, brought down trees and caused at least five rivers to overflow their banks.
Some 600,000 of the island's 1 million electricity customers were without power, Fortuno said. Nearly 800 people were in shelters, but no injuries had been reported. The main airport in San Juan had reopened, but seaports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands remained closed, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
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CNN iReporter Glorumar Ripoll said power was still out but phone lines continued to work in Guaynabo on Monday afternoon.
"The roads are full of debris with police reporting that a major expressway has 2 lanes closed because of overturned trees and debris," Ripoll wrote to CNN.
The storm was centered about 150 miles northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Monday afternoon, with maximum winds of about 80 mph.
Forecasters said it was likely to bring up to 10 inches of rain to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, particularly in higher elevations. Potentially dangerous flooding and mudslides were a threat, the Hurricane Center said.
The Christian aid group World Vision was prepositioning supplies and mobilizing its staff across camps in Haiti on Monday to help residents prepare for Irene.
"We are concerned that vulnerable families still living in temporary camps won't treat this storm as a serious threat, after Tropical Storm Emily didn't hit Port-au-Prince as predicted," warned World Vision's Meg Sattler in Port-au-Prince. "If flooding hits, people living in unsafe housing will be the worst affected. Heavy rain has the potential to worsen sanitation conditions in camps, which, with cholera still so prevalent in Haiti, is a major concern."
As it strengthened, Irene also became larger, with tropical storm force winds extending 185 miles northeast of its center. It's moving at about 12 mph, the Hurricane Center said.
Hurricane warnings were in effect for the north coast of the Dominican Republic, the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Hurricane watches were up for the north coast of Haiti and the central Bahamas, with tropical storm warnings up for much of the rest of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Ultimately, the storm appears headed for the United States, but where is another story, forecasters said.
The predicted track takes the storm anywhere from Florida to North Carolina between Friday and Saturday.
Current predictions appear to lessen the threat to south Florida, forecasters said, although the latest Hurricane Center advisory notes that predictions this far out can be 250 miles off.
The storm is causing modest disruption to travel in the region, airlines said. American Airlines has so far canceled 32 flights as a result of the storm.
Airports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have reopened, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, and Miami International Airport is operating with only minor impacts to flights, said Marc Henderson, spokesman for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.
Meanwhile, the remnants of tropical depression Harvey were quickly dissipating over southern Mexico on Monday. The storm came ashore near Veracruz, Mexico, on Monday with top winds of about 35 mph.
Winds were down to about 25 mph by 10 a.m. CT, the Hurricane Center said. Forecasters expect the storm to produce up to 4 more inches of rain in Veracruz, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Puebla and Tlaxcala.
Harvey struck the coast of Belize on Sunday as a tropical storm, with top winds near 60 mph.
Comment: Well i just hope that not that many people die because of this. i just hope it doesnt keep gettin stronger although it might. even though i would like for it to pass here in Guatemala so i wont have school butt what i really want is for it to stop a soon as posible.
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