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As Chantal dissipates, new storm threatens Caribbean

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Written by Stephanie Kriner Staff Writer, DisasterRelief.org, with news reports
As Chantal dissipated over Mexico, another storm - shocking forecasters after springing up almost out of nowhere - is looming over the eastern Caribbean north of the Virgin Islands. Tropical Storm Dean emerged in the Caribbean Wednesday (Aug. 22), just shortly after forecasters even noticed that a weather system was forming.

By mid afternoon, St. Croix reported wind gusts of 73 mph and Dutch St. Maarten and the British Virgin Islands had closed their airports due to poor visibility, rain and wind. Airlines were forced to cancel several flights, and heavy sea swells beached a freighter ship. "The system is developing and intensifying," Eric Blake, a meteorologist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami, told the Associated Press.

As of 2 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, a tropical storm warning was in effect for the southeastern Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. A tropical storm watch was in effect for the central Bahamas.


Dean's maximum sustained winds neared 60 mph with higher gusts and tropical storm-force winds extending 140 miles. As the storm headed west-northwest at nearly 25 mph, it was 55 miles north of San Juan.

Meanwhile, the topical depression that was once Tropical Storm Chantal was dissipating over Mexico after turning away from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday afternoon. Forecasters had warned that Chantal could re-emerge as a hurricane if it reached the Gulf.

Mexico discontinued all warnings and watches in effect on its coasts, although the Bay of Campeche was still experiencing high winds and rough seas.

At 11 a.m. Chantal still had maximum sustained winds of near 30 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. It was located about 30 miles southeast of Villahermosa, Mexico, moving to the west-southwest near 10 mph.

Chantal formed last week, and soaked several small Caribbean islands, leaving two dead in Trinidad before moving onto Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. There was little damage and no injuries reported.

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DisasterRelief: DisasterRelief.org is a unique partnership between the American Red Cross, IBM and CNN dedicated to providing information about disasters and their relief operations worldwide. The three-year-old website is a leading disaster news source and also serves as a conduit for those wishing to donate to disaster relief operations around the globe through the international Red Cross movement. American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. To help the victims of disaster, you may make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. The American Red Cross is dedicated to helping make families and communities safer at home and around the world. The Red Cross is a volunteer-led humanitarian organization that annually provides almost half the nation's blood supply, trains nearly 12 million people in vital life-saving skills, mobilizes relief to victims in more than 60,000 disasters nationwide, provides direct health services to 2.5 million people, assists international disaster and conflict victims in more than 20 countries, and transmits more than 1.4 million emergency messages to members of the Armed Forces and their families. If you would like information on Red Cross services and programs please contact your local Red Cross. © Copyright, The American National Red Cross. All Rights Reserved.