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Hurricane Warnings Issued For Bahamas

Hurricane Irene

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Southeast Bahamas which includes Inagua, Mayaguana, Crooked and Acklins Island, Ragged Island, and also for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A hurricane watch is in effect for the Central Bahamas which includes the islands of Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Cat Island, Exuma and its cays.

Formerly a tropical storm, Irene strengthened over Puerto Rico with winds up to 70mph, becoming the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible in the affected islands within 48 hours.

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours.

Irene is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 5 to 10 inches across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas. Isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches are possible.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the centre and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles, mainly northwest and northeast of the centre.

Irene is moving toward the west-northwest at near 12 miles per hour and this motion is expected to continue for the few days with a gradual decrease in forward speed. If the 5-day forecast is correct, by Tuesday and Wednesday the storm is expected to reach the Northern Bahamas and the southeastern US.

Both Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International are switching their ships’ course on Caribbean routes as the storm approaches the region.

Bahamian residents are on alert as the storm’s progress is tracked in the next few days.

Posted in Headlines

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