HALIFAX – With Tropical Storm Isaac strengthening as it swirls toward the Caribbean Islands, the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued warnings to Canadians living or travelling in its path.
Foreign Affairs is advising Canadians against all non-essential travel to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, southern areas of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The U.S. National Hurricane Centre on Wednesday issued hurricane watches for all of Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra, as well as the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and for all of Haiti.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, between Isla Saona to the border with Haiti.
Get daily National news
A watch indicates hurricane conditions may be experienced in the following 48 hours, while a warning means hurricane conditions can be expected in the next 36 hours.
Forecasters say Isaac could form into a Category 1 hurricane, with sustained winds over 119 km/h sometime Thursday night or Friday.
Foreign Affairs urged Canadians in the affected areas to monitor local news and weather reports, follow the advice of local authorities and get in touch with the embassy or consular services in the areas they are living or travelling in if seeking emergency consular assistance.
According to the Foreign Affairs website, travellers are also encouraged to contact their travel agent or tour operator to decide if travel plans need to be rearranged.
As of 5:00 p.m. ADT, Tropical Storm Isaac was to the east of the Leeward Islands, about 40 kilometres south-southeast of Guadeloupe, and was expected to pass over the archipelago in the hours following.
Isaac’s wind speeds were sustained at 75 km/h, with gusts higher than that, and the storm was moving westward at about 35 km/h.
All warnings from Foreign Affairs can be found in the links below:
Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
- ‘Really challenging issue’: Many B.C. communities still at high risk for flooding
- Cold warnings across the Prairies forecast wind-chill temperatures near -45 C
- Canadian military member arrested, charged in foreign interference probe
- Mailing in your taxes? CRA says changes are coming amid push to digital
Comments