By RIA Novosti,
Moscow : Tropical storm Hanna has claimed at least 21 lives in Haiti and is now heading toward the southeastern U.S. coastline, local media said on Wednesday.
The tropical storm battered Haiti – still recovering from Hurricane Gustav and tropical storm Fay – with winds reaching up to 70 mph (110 kph), causing severe flooding.
Hanna reached hurricane status on Monday before weakening to a tropical storm as it struck Haiti and the Bahamas on Tuesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center has warned that Hanna could strengthen and regain hurricane force before hitting the U.S. in the next few days.
Hurricane Gustav swept through the Caribbean last week, causing serious damage and some 90 deaths before moving on to the United States, where its approach triggered the evacuation of around 2 million people from New Orleans.
In mid-August, the Fay tropical storm swept through Haiti, killing 23 people.