Sat, 7 Nov 2009 07:19:38 -0500 Tropical Storm Ida Gaining Strength MIAMI - Ida has become a tropical storm again, with top winds of 45 mph, as it swirls in the Caribbean on a track that could bring it to the U.S. Gulf Coast next week. Ida came ashore in Nicaragua as a hurricane Thursday before weakening and dumping rain on Central America. Thousands were evacuated but no deaths were reported. The storm edged back over the Caribbean the next day, where nourishing waters are helping it build its muscle back up.

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:50:16 -0500 Ida Reaches Hurricane Force Near Nicaragua MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Tropical Storm Ida grew to hurricane force just off Nicaragua's coast on Thursday, forcing more than 2,000 people to flee their homes and knocking out power to some parts of the impoverished region. The hurricane was forecast to slash into Nicaragua's Atlantic coast within hours, then cut across Honduras before emerging over open water on Saturday - a still-tentative path that could carry it near Mexico's resort of Cancun by midweek.

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:56:30 -0500 Vietnam Storm Death Toll Rises to 91 HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - The death toll from Tropical Storm Mirinae rose to 91 in Vietnam on Wednesday as authorities stepped up rescue and relief operations in the country's central region. In the hardest-hit province of Phu Yen, 26 more deaths were reported as information trickled in from isolated areas, bringing the death toll there to 65, disaster official Dang Thi Lanh said. An additional 13 people were missing.

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:30:36 -0500 Tropical Storm Kills 23 in Vietnam HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Tropical Storm Mirinae unleashed severe flooding in parts of central Vietnam, killing 23 people, leaving two missing and stranding families on rooftops, disaster officials said Tuesday. The death toll in the hardest-hit province of Phu Yen was 15 after the storm drenched the region with heavy rain Monday, said disaster official Dang Thi Lanh. "Many villages remain cut off by rising waters and we expect the death toll to rise," she said.

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:11:43 -0500 Major Storm Slams Vietnam HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Tropical Storm Mirinae slammed into Vietnam's central coast Monday, unleashing heavy rains and winds and forcing more than 80,000 people to evacuate before losing steam as it moved inland. The storm was packing winds of 63 miles per hour as it made landfall in Phu Yen province Monday afternoon, toppling trees and utility poles and causing blackouts, said Nguyen Ba Loc, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee.