New tropical storms form over Atlantic

Miami: A new tropical depression formed on Tuesday near the Cape Verde Islands off Africa while storm Hanna drenched the Bahamas and Ike sped westward as Atlantic storm activity reached a frenetic pace.

These followed on the heels of Hurricane Gustav, which began to dissipate on Tuesday after slamming ashore on the US Gulf Coast near New Orleans the day before. The new tropical cyclones threatened vast areas, from South Carolina in the United States to the Caribbean islands.

The flurry of storms was the latest evidence that predictions for a busier than normal season were on the mark, and was worrisome news for US oil and natural gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico, millions living in the Caribbean and on US coasts, and farmers fearing flooded fields.

The US government has forecast that 14 to 18 tropical storms will form during the six-month season that began on June 1, compared to a historical average of 10. The new tropical depression yesterday was already the 10th, forming before the statistical peak of the season on September 10.

By early morning, Hurricane Hanna had weakened into a tropical storm as it swirled near Great Inagua Island, but the weakening was likely to be short-lived, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Hanna's 110km/h winds meant it was just short of being a Category 1 hurricane. Its slow movement, however, meant it was dumping torrential rains on the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands.

"Although little change in strength is expected during the next 24 hours, Hanna could regain hurricane strength later today or tomorrow," the Miami-based hurricane centre said.

Hanna was expected to turn to the northwest and come ashore at the end of the week somewhere between northern Florida and the Carolinas as a Category 2 hurricane, it said.