US President briefed on tropical storm Erika Preparations

US President Barack Obama has been briefed on the government’s preparation for the expected arrival of Tropical Storm Erika, the White House said Friday.

Spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama urges residents who may be affected by the storm to monitor local media for updates and to follow the instructions of government officials.

Erika threatened Haiti and the Dominican Republic with heavy rain and strong winds Friday as it remained on track to strike the southeastern U.S. state of Florida, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Because of some expected weakening over mountainous areas of Hispaniola island, Erika was no longer forecast to hit southern Florida as a hurricane. But it still could arrive in the Miami area with sustained winds near 100 kilometers per hour (kph) by Sunday night before moving northward up the Florida Peninsula.

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency Friday ahead of the storm’s arrival, noting that Erika could travel “up the spine of Floridaâ€‌ from Sunday into next week.

On Thursday, Scott said 8,000 National Guard soldiers were ready to mobilize. He urged residents, especially those who have moved to Florida in the decade since Hurricane Wilma, the last major storm to hit the state in 2005, to follow news reports and make possible evacuation plans.

Source: SPA