MIAMI.- The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a hurricane warning for the southern coast of Hispaniola, from Barahona in the Dominican Republic westward to Haiti, as Gustav’s speed slows to 9 miles per hour.
The Dominican Civil Defense said it's prepared for the emergency as widespred flooding is expected from the downpours of Gustav, a category 1 hurricane.
Gustav has led the NHC to post hurricane warnings for several Caribbean islands and maritime interests. “Preparations to protect life and property should be nearing completion.”
At 8 a.m. EDT Gustav’s center was located near latitude 17.5 north, and longitude 72.0 west, or about 75 miles (125 KM) south-southeast of Port-au-Prince and about 350 kilometers southwest of Santo Domingo.
The NHC said a hurricane watch remains in effect from southern Haiti to the northern border with the Dominican Republic, and now includes several Cuban provinces and Jamaica. “A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch areas, generally within 35 hours.”
In Santo Domingo, Gustav’s intermittent downpours flooded streets and snarled Tuesday morning commuter traffic.

Get your canoes out and stock up on bottled water, canned goods and flashlights, or candles.
TB