Tropical Storm Emily approaches the Dominican Republic, Haiti

In Haiti, where hundreds of thousands of people are still living in temporary quarters in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, residents braced themselves Wednesday for strong rains and winds as Tropical Storm Emily approached.

The government issued an alert advising residents that the storm's heavy rains could produce dangerous flooding and mudslides.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the disorganized storm was about 60 miles south of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic, and was expected to dump heavy rains over the two countries, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

Also Wednesday, the government of Cuba issued a tropical storm warning for its eastern provinces. The center of the storm is expected to arrive over eastern Cuba Thursday night.

Tropical storm warnings for Puerto Rico were discontinued as Emily passed that island by.

A storm warning means storm conditions are expected within the next 36 hours, a watch means storm conditions are possible, the center said.

The storm's path would take it over western Hispaniola, the island that contains Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

"Some weakening is possible as Emily interacts with the high terrain of Haiti and eastern Cuba," the Miami-based hurricane center said. "Some re-strengthening is possible when the cyclone moves over the Bahamas."

Emily was continuing to move west at 14 mph, but the weather service said it expects the storm to turn to the northwest over the next couple of days.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Dominican Republic; Haiti; the southeast and central Bahamas; and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The government of the Bahamas issued a tropical storm watch for the central Bahamas on Wednesday.

Tropical storm conditions, including winds of at least 39 mph, are expected in the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos on Thursday, and conditions were possible Thursday night across the central Bahamas.

The forecast also suggests Emily could skirt the east coast of Florida by early Saturday, but no watches or warnings were posted for the U.S. mainland as of Wednesday.

comment: I think about the poor persons of Haiti that are living in in schools and there is another storm poor, If I where from haiti i will going to leave anywhere because there is the worst place to live.