August 25, 2023
Airlines have issued travel waivers and cruise lines are altering itineraries as Tropical Storm Franklin moved through the Caribbean Sea toward Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where it was expected to make landfall on Wednesday.
According to Weather.com, Franklin is expected to track northward and bring flooding rainfall and dangerous mudslides in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Rainfall totals could reach 15 inches across Hispaniola and up to six inches in Puerto Rico.
The tropical storm is then expected to brush past Turks and Caicos before turning out into the southwest Atlantic Ocean. As a result, tropical storm warnings and watches have been issued from parts of Hispaniola to Turks and Caicos, with winds reaching as much as 73 miles per hour.
11 AM EDT Tuesday, August 22 Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Franklin. Heavy rainfall and flooding are possible across Hispaniola and Puerto Rico during the next couple of days.https://t.co/3332XaSfvhpic.twitter.com/jNH58XkpZS
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 22, 2023
Major carriers in the United States, such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, have started to issue travel advisories and waive changed fees. Impacted airports include Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santiago and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic; and Providenciales International Airport in Turks and Caicos.
As for the cruise industry, DominicanToday.com reported that the arrivals of two ships scheduled for Tuesday at the ports of Amber Cove and Puerto Plata had been postponed, including Carnival Celebration and MSC Seascape.
Tropical Storm Franklin will unleash heavy rain, flooding and strong winds in the northern Caribbean. https://t.co/qCtEbYRvQjpic.twitter.com/7sBSpkuYJX
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) August 22, 2023
According to CruiseHive.com, Royal Caribbean International’s private destination of Labadee, Haiti, is also likely to feel the impact of the storm.