Tropical depression threatens the region

MIAMI (CMC):

Several Caribbean countries were placed under a tropical warning yesterday, as a tropical depression moved into the Lesser Antilles and emerge over the Eastern Caribbean Sea by tomorrow.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that warnings have been issued for Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, and the French islands of Guadeloupe, Desirade, Les Saintes, Marie Galante and St Martin.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Saba, St Eustace, St Maarten, the British Virgin islands, and parts of Puerto Rico.

According to NHC, the centre of Tropical Depression Nine was located near latitude 15.2 north, longitude 51.2 west and is moving towards the west near 20 miles per hour (mph).

It said this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days and that the cyclone should move through the southern Leeward Islands and Northern Windward Islands this afternoon.

Maximum sustained winds, according to the NHC, are nearing 35mph with higher gusts and strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Reports from the NHC are that the depression is expected to become a tropical storm and that rain accumulations of four to eight inches are possible over the Leeward and Windward Islands.

The NHC said that dangerous surf and rip current conditions will affect the islands during the next couple of days.