Hanna Soaking Hispaniola

Tropical Storm Hanna soaked the Dominican Republic and Haiti early Wednesday and expected to regain hurricane status, U.S. forecasters in Miami said.

Hurricane warnings and watches were posted for most of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, while tropical storm warnings were up in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

At 5 a.m., Hanna was centered 115 miles southwest of Grand Turk island, packing sustained 60 mph winds. The storm was moving north at 2 mph, tropical storm-force winds extend 230 miles from the center, the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported.

Forecasters said the southeastern Bahamas could received as much as 12 inches of rain as Hanna progresses and brings rain to southeastern Florida by Friday.

In the warning area, the report said coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels should be expected.

Wednesday morning, The Miami Herald said Hanna’s flooding was being blamed on at least 10 deaths in Haiti, where Hurricane Gustav killed almost 80 people early last week.