Tropical Storm Laura Heads for Eastern Cuba

Tropical Storm Laura is headed for Eastern Cuba leaving five dead in Haiti, three dead in the Dominican Republic and thousands others affected.

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Heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding continues over ports of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, as reported by the National Hurricane Center. 

At 2pm Havana time, the storm was located about 55 miles of the Eastern tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 50 MPH. 

The center of Laura will move near or over Cuba tonight and Monday, and move over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday. 

Little change in strength is forecast while Laura moves near Cuba though strengthening is expected after the storm moves over the Gulf of Mexico, and Laura is forecast to become a hurricane late Tuesday night.

The predicted rainfall for Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba is four to eight inches, with maximum amounts of 12 inches. Jamaica is expecting two to four inches of rain, with a maximum of six inches.

The National Hurricane Center warns that heavy rainfall could lead to life-threatening flash and urban flooding, and the potential for mudslides across the Greater Antilles.

Florida Keys, Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas may also see one to three inches of rain.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Marco is crossing the Central Gulf, with life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds expected along portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday.