Tropical Storm Melissa is nearly stationary in the central Caribbean, with forecasters warning it could soon strengthen and brush past Jamaica as a powerful hurricane. Catastrophic flooding and landslides are likely in southwest Haiti in the coming days. U.S. forecasters said the storm's slow movement will mean days of exposure to heavy rain and strong winds, which will worsen flooding and other dangers. Melissa had 65 mph winds early Friday. It could strengthen into a hurricane Saturday and a major hurricane later in the weekend. Authorities were opening shelters and making other preparations in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Hopes for a resumption of long-stalled talks to heal Cyprus’ decades-old ethnic rift have been buoyed after Turkish Cypriots elected a leader who campaigned on getting back to negotiating a two-zone federation with rival Greek Cypriots after an eight-year stalemate. Unofficial figures broadcast on BRT TV and other stations showed 55-year-old Tufan Erhurman winning Sunday by a landslide, receiving 62.76% of the vote, against incumbent Ersin Tatar’s 35.81%. In his first remarks, Erhurman sent out a message of unity, saying he would embrace all citizens regardless of their party affiliation. Turkish Cypriots turned away from Tatar’s vision for a two-state deal in Cyprus that Turkey has championed since 2017 when the last major push to resolve the dispute collapsed.
Southern California is getting hit by a rare October storm that's pummeling the region with heavy rain and heavy winds. Mudslides are possible Tuesday. Some homes have been ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday night that she was very concerned about the weather. Bass said strike teams, rescue teams and helicopters were all ready to respond. The evacuations covered about 115 homes, mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon. Wildfires can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place, making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms.
The remnants of Typhoon Halong have brought hurricane-force winds and ravaging storm surges to western Alaska. Authorities say one person is dead and two remain missing. They also say more than 50 people have been rescued. Floodwaters knocked some homes off foundations and swept others away. Officials in Alaska warned of a long road to recovery and a need for continued support for the hardest-hit communities. Elsewhere in the U.S., severe weather killed a woman in New York City who was struck by a solar panel. Rescuers in the Phoenix area found a man whose truck was swept away by floodwaters. Crews in southern California are preparing for potential mudslides in fire-ravaged areas.
The death toll from last week’s torrential rains in east-central Mexico has jumped to 64. Search operations have expanded to communities cut off by landslides. Authorities said Monday another 65 people are missing. The scale of destruction across five states is becoming clearer. President Claudia Sheinbaum says it could still be days before access is established to some places. In northern Veracruz, 80 communities remain inaccessible by road. Some 10,000 troops were deployed in addition to civilian rescue teams. Helicopters have ferried food and water to cut-off communities and carried out the sick and injured.