Washington: Tropical storm Humberto with strong winds and heavy rain is barreling its way through the Atlantic and threatening to ravage the Bahamas islands just weeks after the Caribbean country was battered by Hurricane Dorian”>Hurricane Dorian that killed more than 40 people.
Quoting the National Hurricane Center, CNN reported that the new storm is expected to move “very near” those islands on Saturday. The Bahamas will likely see up to four inches of rain with some isolated areas getting up to six inches, it said.
But Humberto is expected to become a hurricane in two to three days as it gradually continues to strengthen, the hurricane centre said.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for the northwestern Bahamas, excluding Andros Island, the centre said.
Heavy rainfall and flash flooding could also affect parts of eastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina this weekend and early next week. Coastal areas from central Florida to South Carolina will see up to four inches of rain.
Meanwhile, hundreds are still missing in the aftermath of the powerful Category 5 hurricane that smashed into the Abacos Islands and Grand Bahama this month.
“We are a nation in mourning,” Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said in a statement.
“The grief is unbearable following the devastating impact of Hurricane Dorian”>Hurricane Dorian, which has left behind death, destruction and despair on Grand Bahama and Abaco, our second and third most populous islands,” he added.
About 3,900 evacuees have been processed through south Florida by air and sea so far, officials were quoted as saying.
The number includes US citizens, legal residents, Bahamians and people from other countries who evacuated the islands after the storm hit.