Haiti: Storm gathers strength

Strengthening tropical storm Tomas soaked Haiti yesterday, threatening fragile, crowded earthquake survivor camps in the poor Caribbean country that is also reeling from a deadly cholera epidemic.

Tomas was expected to pass close to Haiti today, endangering the largely deforested land with gusting winds, surging waves and torrential rains of up to 40cm in some areas.

Tomas carried top sustained winds of 100km/h yesterday which could rise to 120km/h as it passes Haiti, Jamaica and eastern Cuba.

Haitian officials urged people to evacuate the tent camps.

About 1.3 million survivors of the January 12 earthquake still live in hundreds of makeshift tent camps crammed into open spaces in the wrecked capital Port-au-Prince.