TS Ophelia causeds flooding on Dominica, away

Tropical Storm Ophelia caused flooding and cut off several communities on this eastern Caribbean island Wednesday, but the storm stayed in the open Atlantic and moved away from the Leeward Islands.

About 1,600 people were stranded and nearly a dozen cars washed away in Dominica, said Nathaniel Isaac, the island's disaster preparedness coordinator.

"It's pretty terrible," he said.

Schools, businesses and government offices were closed Wednesday. Heavy rain forced the closure of Canefield Airport, one of the island's two airports, said Rayburn Blackmoore, minister of roads and infrastructure. Several communities lost power.

Ophelia had maximum sustained winds of about 60 mph (95 kph) late Wednesday. Its forecast track would take it generally northward past Bermuda this weekend.

Farther east in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Philippe had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (64 kph). It was expected to weaken and could become a tropical depression by late Thursday.

In the Pacific, Hilary weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm with winds of 70 mph (110 kph). Hilary was not expected to near Mexico's coast.

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