Storms wreak havoc across the Caribbean

The hurricane season is threatening to cause catastrophe across the Caribbean. More than 150 people have died in Haiti in the wake of three storms in the space of three weeks

Parts of Haiti have been submerged by torrential rains from Tropical Storm Hanna, stranding people on rooftops and prompting President Rene Preval to warn of an “extraordinary catastrophe”.

It is feared the death toll could match and even exceed that caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne which killed 3,000 people in Haiti four years ago.

Hanna was forecast to move over the central and northern Bahamas today strengthening back into a hurricane with winds of at least 119 kilometres an hour.

It is due to reach the United States coast near the north-Carolina-Virginia border on Saturday.

Then comes Hurricane Ike which has strengthened into a fiercely dangerous category four hurricane in the open Atlantic.

Tina Knowles, who lives in the Bahamas capital Nassau, said people there are prepared for the worst: “It’s not common for the hurricanes to come three in a row for us, so we’re going to be a little more prepared than usual.”

Tropical Storm Josephine is also marching across the Atlantic on a westward course behind Hurricane Ike but it is reported by the US National Hurricane Centre to be weakening.