Hurricane Franklin to intensify further, to hit US east coast on Sunday night

Hurricane Franklin is forecast to become a major hurricane by late Sunday (August 27), the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Saturday. In an advisory, the NHC said that Franklin is located about 990 kilometres south of Bermuda packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometres per hour (kmph). A turn north-northwest is expected on Sunday, followed by a northward motion early in the week, the advisory added.

"Swells generated by Franklin are expected to begin affecting Bermuda by tonight. These swells are also likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions beginning late today through the beginning of this week along portions of the east coast of the United States," the advisory further said.

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The advisory also said that hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 973 mb(28.74 inches).

Franklin hits Dominican Republic and Haiti

Franklin has brought stormy winds and rain across the Dominican Republic and neighbouring Haiti. At least one person was killed on Thursday after Franklin passed over the Dominican Republic. The head of the Dominican COE emergency services said a man had been found dead in San Cristobal province after trying to swim through floodwaters.

Meanwhile, in Haiti, the Hydro-Meteorological Unit (UHM) lifted its yellow alert as Franklin passed over. On Wednesday, the UHM had said that Franklin did not represent a direct danger.

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