Tropical storm heads for Hispaniola

Security Posted on 24/08/2012

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Tropical Storm Isaac could become a hurricane as it passes over Hispaniola, the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, on Friday 24 August.

As of Friday morning, Isaac was roughly 115 miles south-southeast of the Dominican Republic's capital, Santo Domingo, and producing winds of 45mph. Parts of Hispaniola are forecast between eight and twelve inches of rain, which poses a significant threat to the almost completely deforested Haiti.

Mudslides and widespread flooding are expected throughout the island, where Red Cross workers have been attempting to warn those still living in tent camps after the 2010 earthquake which left thousands homeless.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website advised tourists to the island to check weather reports regularly and follow the advice of local authorities.

Most forecasting models have predicted that it will remain a tropical storm as it passes over Cuba and the Florida Straits, before becoming a hurricane as it enters the Gulf of Mexico. However, there is a possibility that the storm may strengthen before it reaches Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The U.S National Hurricane Center in Miami stated that "Isaac will likely restrengthen when it moves over the Florida Straits and the eastern Gulf of Mexico", before making possible landfall near Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana or Mississippi on Tuesday.

Isaac could pose a threat to Florida's Gulf Coast on Tuesday, where the Republican National Convention is due to take place in Tampa, Florida.

Earlier in the week, it passed close to Puerto Rico, parts of which experienced heavy rain as a result.

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