A Cuban weather forecaster
introduces a satellite image of hurricane Ernesto in Havana, Cuba, Aug.
27. (Xinhua/Reuters
photo) | BEIJING, Aug. 30
(Xinhuanet) -- Contrary to expectations, Ernesto, briefly a hurricane Sunday,
lost much of its punch crossing mountainous eastern Cuba and swirled toward
Florida as a weak tropical storm Tuesday.
The storm crossed the Florida Straits with top
sustained winds of 45 mph and was expected to move through Florida as a
weak tropical storm.
The storm contributed to at least one death. A Miami
woman died after her car hydroplaned off an expressway and hit a palm tree,
authorities said.
Ernesto was forecast to move up the middle of the
state and exit on the northeast coast by early Thursday, moving into the
Atlantic and potentially gaining hurricane strength before hitting Georgia or
the Carolinas.
Experts initially feared Ernesto would hit Florida as
a powerful hurricane packing the same intensity as Katrina, which killed 1,500
people after it slammed ashore near New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2005.
The initial concern prompted Florida Governor Jeb
Bush to declare a state of emergency, while visitors were ordered to leave the
Florida Keys.
Ports in Miami and other areas of southern Florida
were shut down on Tuesday, and several flights were cancelled.
Across populous south Florida, residents scurried to
make last-minute preparations before hunkering down.
Lines formed early in the morning at groceries,
gas stations, pharmacies and home supply stores, and many schools were closed
through Wednesday. Enditem
(Agencies)
Florida prepares for tropical storm
Ernesto
BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Tropical storm Ernesto
which drenched eastern Cuba on Monday edged closer to Florida with even greater
power and then could regain hurricane strength and hit Florida's most populous
region. >>>
Hurricane Ernesto triggers alert in
eastern Cuba
HAVANA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A hurricane alert was issued
by Cuba's civil defense department on Sunday to the eastern provinces of
Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguin, Las Tunas and Camaguey. >>>
Jamaica on alert as Tropical Storm
Ernesto gathers strength
HAVANA, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Jamaica's Prime Minister
Portia Simpson Miller on Saturday put the Caribbean country on alert as Tropical
Storm Ernesto gathered strength and steamed through the central Caribbean,
according to reports from Kingston. >>>
Tropical storm Ernesto in Caribbean,
threatens Gulf
BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Ernesto, the fifth
tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed over the Caribbean Sea
on Friday and could develop into a hurricane threatening the Gulf of Mexico on
the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, U.S. forecasters said. >>>
State of emergency declared in
Florida
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A state of emergency was
declared in the southeastern U.S. state of Florida on Sunday, in anticipation of
Tropical Storm Ernesto that could threaten much of the state, media reports
said. >>>
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