SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Kirk caused power outages and heavy flooding across the eastern Caribbean and forced flight cancellations, officials said Friday.
Authorities in Barbados said they helped rescue several people from a flooded home, while school was cancelled in the nearby islands of Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for St. Lucia and a tropical storm watch for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said that up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain could fall in some parts of Martinique and Dominica. Meteorologists warned of flash floods and mudslides.
Forecasters also warned of heavy rains for St. Croix and eastern Puerto Rico.
Kirk had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was located about 140 miles (225 kilometers) west-southwest of St. Lucia. It was moving west at 12 mph (19 kph).
The storm is expected to soon weaken to a tropical depression and degenerate into a low pressure trough by late Saturday.
Meanwhile, powerful Hurricane Rosa grew stronger off Mexico's Pacific Coast. The Category 4 storm had maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 kph) and was located 640 miles (1,030 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. It was moving west at 7 mph (11 kph).
It is expected to start weakening on Saturday as it heads northeast toward the Baja California peninsula. The National Hurricane Center said there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, but swells generated by Rosa were expected to cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions along portions of southwestern Mexico, the peninsula and southern California.
