Beryl dissipated storm: Puerto Rico, Dominica still cautious

YABUCOA, Puerto Rico – The remnants of tropical storm Beryl rushed to Dominica but dissipated, reducing the threat to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, which had been preparing for heavy rains and strong winds less than a year after

The US National Hurricane Center said the system winds would fall below gale force during the night while it was heading to a path supposed to take it to the south of these islands. But forecasters have also warned that people should be alert to any heavy rains that could cause flooding or mudslides.

Beryl was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, then it disintegrated into a tropical storm shortly before reaching Dominica. The storm directly crossed the island, which is rebuilding even more than nine months after Hurricane Maria passed as a Category 5 storm and killed dozens of people

. Government officials said that they were very worried for those who were still living with tarps on their roofs.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit urged people to stay indoors and observe a curfew. "Our hope is that we get some rain," he said. "That's what we pray for."

The Hurricane Center said the rest of Beryl had sustained maximum winds of 40 mph on Sunday night and was moving west-northwest at 26 mph. He said the system could still fall up to 2 to 3 inches of rain, with as much as 5 inches in isolated locations

Puerto Rico also suffered widespread damage from Hurricane Maria, and Governor Ricardo Rossello had feared that the island would run out of electricity if Beryl arrived as a tropical storm as originally planned. He urged people without a sturdy roof to move in with their loved ones or in any of the 24 government shelters. Some 60,000 people still have only tarpaulins for the roofs.

The inhabitants of the south coast of Puerto Rico are wary of the rain forecast, since they are the first to be touched by Maria and suffered the greatest damage

We are a little scared because from what we experienced, "said Jose Bultron, a delivery man from the city of Humacao, in the southeastern part of the country. "It brings back memories … but we are going from the front."

Flooding is a big concern for those who still live in homes that have not been fully rebuilt since Maria. Lourdes De Jesus, who traveled from West Springfield, Massachusetts, to help repair his mother's home in southeastern Yabucoa, said the roof is made of tarpaulin and recycled zinc and even flees during a mild storm. . I'm going to do, "she said." We do not have the money to spend on the zinc roof. "

Off the east coast of the United States, Tropical Storm Chris had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph Sunday night .It was centered about 195 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving east-southeast at 2 mph.

The hurricane center said it was possible for Beryl's remains to regenerate in a few days Bahamas