Residents of Haiti are continuing their struggle to survive the
devastation of Tropical Storm Hanna, as officials in the United States
prepare for the storm to hit.
Hanna caused major flooding in
Haiti this week, leaving at least 61 people dead and many more stranded
on rooftops without food or clean water. Haitian President Rene Preval
called the situation catastrophic, and he has appealed for
international help.
The United Nations mission in Haiti is assisting with rescue and relief efforts in the hard-hit northern city of Gonaives.
Forecasters
say Tropical Storm Hanna could regain hurricane strength Thursday or
Friday as it continues on a path toward the southeastern United States.
The
governor of the eastern U.S. state of Virginia already has declared a
state of emergency, directing government agencies to take action to
prepare for the storm.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Ike, an extremely
dangerous category four storm, is moving across the central Atlantic
Ocean with winds of 220 kilometers per hour. But U.S. officials say it
is too early to determine what, if any, land areas Ike might affect.
Ike is the third major hurricane of this year's Atlantic season.
Forecasters
also are monitoring Tropical Storm Josephine, which is hovering in the
eastern Atlantic carrying sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
