Hurricane Elsaa> fell back to tropical storm force as it brushed past <a href="https:and the world-regions on Saturday and threatened to unleash flooding and landslides before taking aim at Cuba and Florida.
The storm was centered about 255 miles (410 kilometers) east of Kingston, Jamaica, and was moving west-northwest at 29 mph (46 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) as the tropical storm, which had been a Category 1 hurricane earlier on Saturday, weakened during its approach to Hispaniola and Cuba, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The long-term forecast track showed it heading toward us-regions as a tropical storm by Tuesday morning, but some models would carry it into the Gulf or up the Atlantic Coast.
In regions, authorities used social media to alert people about the storm and urged them to evacuate if they lived near water or mountain flanks.
“The whole country is threatened,” the Civil Protection Agency said in a statement. “Make every effort to escape before it’s too late.”
Hurricane Elsa approaches Argyle, St. Vincent, Friday, July 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel)
HURRICAN ELSA WEAKENS SLIGHTLY, TRACKING WEST OF SURFSIDE CONDO COLLAPSE: REPORTS
regions is especially vulnerable to floods and landslides because of widespread erosion and deforestation. In addition, a recent spike in gang violence has forced thousands of people to flee from their homes, so the civil protection agency is running low on basic items including food and water, director Jerry Chandler told The Associated Press.
“It’s been three weeks that we’ve been supporting families who are running away from gang violence,” he said. “We are working at renewing our stocks, but the biggest problem is logistics.”
He said officials are still trying to figure out how to deliver supplies to regions, which braced for Elsa’sa> impact.< capital of Port-au-Prince to the southern border with the world-regions. A hurricane watch was issued for the regions and Santiago de Cuba. Some of those provinces have reported a high number of infectious-disease, raising concerns that the storm could force large groups of people to seek shelter together.
“Anticipating is the key word,” said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, adding that vaccination efforts would continue. “Let’s take care of lives and property.”
In the neighboring world-regions which shares the island of Hispaniola with regions, authorities opened more than 2,400 shelters as forecasters warned of heavy rains. Officials also ordered evacuations ahead of the storm as people kept stocking up on supplies.
Fishing boats sit offshore to protect them from damage as Hurricane Elsa approaches Call Calliaqua, St. Vincent, Friday, July 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Orvil Samuel)
ELSA BECOMES FIRST HURRICANE OF 2021 SEASON
Some people worried about the state of their homes, with many living under corrugated roofing.
“I have a lot of leaks in my zinc,” said María Ramos. “What are we going to do? Only God knows.”
The storm already had ripped off roofs, destroyed crops and downed trees and power lines in the eastern Caribbean on Friday, with damage reported in regions which also suffered massive volcanic eruptions that began in April.
At least 43 homes and three police stations were damaged, said St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
“We expect that this number will increase as reports keep coming in,” he said. “We have some damage, but it could have been far worse.”
This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Elsa moving through the Caribbean, over Barbados, Tuesday, July 2, 2021, at 12:00 Z (8am a.m. ET). Elsa was expected to pass near the southern coast of Hispaniola on Saturday and to move near Jamaica and portions of eastern Cuba on Sunday. (NOAA/NESDIS/STAR GOES via AP)
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In regions the wind damaged a secondary school, pummeling desks, overturning chairs and sending papers flying after blowing off the roof and siding.
Meanwhile, authorities in Puerto Rico rescued eight people, including two children, in stormy conditions after their boat sank amid 8- to 10-foot (2- to 3-meter) waves.
