Storm leaves 22 dead in Caribbean
-- Tropical Storm Olga was dissipating Thursday northwest of Jamaica, leaving 22 people dead in its wake in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico.
Most of the storm-related deaths were reported on the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, El Caribe newspaper reported Thursday. Officials said more deaths as a result of Tropical Storm Olga were expected.
The storm that hit the island of Hispanola was considered unusual for December according to forecasters. The "official" Alantic hurricane season ends in November.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its final report Olga had degraded to tropical depression status with its center about 80 miles northwest of Kingston, Jamaica, moving west near 13 mph with 30 mph winds.
However, the report said heavy rainfall was expected in the southeastern Bahamas, eastern Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola.
The rare December storm, the 15th named storm of the year, formed Monday and first hit Puerto Rico, where one man was killed in a landslide caused by heavy rain. Various reports from Caribbean media said others were killed in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where all of the deaths were related to flooding. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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