Haiti's Hanna Death Toll Jumps; US On Alert

Haiti's government said the death toll from Tropical Storm Hanna has more than doubled to 137, with most of the deaths coming in the flooded port city of Gonaives.

Hurricane Tracker | Expert Advice On Hanna

The Ministry of the Interior and the Civil Protection Department issued statements Thursday saying that 80 of the deaths were in Gonaives, which has been almost entirely cut off by floodwaters from Hanna.

Virtual lakes have formed over every road in the city, and officials are attempting to get food and water to residents who were stranded.

Another 22 deaths were confirmed in areas immediately surrounding the coastal city.

The rest of the deaths were scattered across the country.

The previous death toll had been 61.

Forecasters warn that fearsome Hurricane Ike could hit Haiti next week.

Southeast Coast Prepares

Virginia's governor has declared a state of emergency as officials and residents along much of the Southeast Coast prepare for Tropical Storm Hanna.

North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley said Hanna could bring 10 inches of rain to the state. He's pleading for residents to get ready.

Hanna is forecast to be near the southeast coast of the United States by late Friday, and forecasters said the storm could become a hurricane prior to reaching the coastline.

At 2 a.m. EDT, Hanna was moving northwest at 18 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph. The center of the storm was located about 75 miles east-southeast of Marsh Harbor in the Bahamas and about 490 miles south-southeast of Wilmington, N.C.

A hurricane watch is in effect from north of Edisto Beach, S.C., to Currituck Beach Light, N.C.

Officials are considering whether to order evacuations for the roughly 1 million people who live between Savannah, Ga., and Wilmington, N.C. Emergency officials in South Carolina said a call for coastal residents to evacuate could come around noon, starting with voluntary evacuations.

Residents have been moving boats and booking hotel rooms inland while National Guard troops are preparing to deploy.

Officials as far north as the Washington, D.C., area are warning residents to get ready for heavy winds and rain.

Hurricane Ike 'Extremely Dangerous'

Forecasters are calling Hurricane Ike an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm.

On Wednesday evening, Ike became a Category 3 storm and the third major hurricane of the Atlantic season. Ike then intensified to a Category 4 storm with 135 mph winds.

At 11 p.m. EDT, Ike's center was located about 475 miles northwest of the Leeward Islands after taking a turn toward the west. It was moving west at about 14 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 135 mph. Some weakening and a turn west-southwest was forecast during the next 24 to 48 hours.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm is expected to continue on its current track over open waters for a couple days before turning more to the west. It's too soon to tell which land areas could be threatened.

Behind Hanna, Ike Comes Josephine

Forecasters said Josephine, the tropical storm behind Ike, is fluctuating in strength. Forecasters said continued changes in intensity are expected in the coming days.

At 11 p.m. EDT, the center was located about 630 miles west of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands. Josephine is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph, with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph.