Massive floods as Tropical Storm Fay holds still over Florida*

MIAMI, Aug 21 (AFP) Aug 21, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay was poised Thursday to turn around and cross mainland
Florida a second time with massive rains and heavy winds as Governor
Charlie Crist asked federal authorities to declare the state a disaster
area.

Holding stationary over the northeastern part of Florida for hours, Fay
dumped rains of 50 to 75 centimeters (20 to 30 inches) in some parts of
the state, and caused widespread flooding.

"This storm is turning into a serious catastrophic flooding event,
particularly in southern Brevard County," Crist said on Wednesday as he
sought the emergency declaration that would give Florida access to US
federal disaster assistance funds.

In his request, Crist told President George W. Bush that federal
emergency funds are needed "to save lives and to protect property,
public health and safety."

As of 11 am (1500 GMT) Fay's center was holding still some 20 kilometers
(15 miles) northeast of Daytona Beach, on Florida's Atlantic coast, the
Miami-based National Hurricane Center said in a statement.

"Fay has been stationary during the past several hours," it said. "A
slow motion toward the west-northwest is forecast to begin soon and
continue for the next couple of days," carrying the storm across the
northern Florida peninsula.

"But (it is) taking its time," the center added.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of near 95 kilometers (60 miles)
an hour with higher gusts, though it is expected to weaken as it moves
west toward Florida's Gulf Coast panhandle by early Saturday.

The storm is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of five to 10
inches (13 to 25 centimeters) ... with isolated amounts of 15 inches (38
centimeters) possible across northern Florida, the center said.

Since it powered up from the Caribbean just short of hurricane strength
last weekend, Fay has crisscrossed the southeastern US state, first
blasting the tourist-heavy Keys, then plowing up the west coast before
making landfall Tuesday and crossing very slowly to the northeast.

The storm has spawned tornadoes, flooded some 50,000 homes and knocked
out power to 100,000 people.

Earlier in the Caribbean, Fay left a trail of destruction and at least
40 deaths -- particularly in Haiti, where a truck carrying around 60
passengers plunged into a swollen river during the storm.

Massive floods as Tropical Storm Fay holds still over Florida*

Gary Smith rides his bike home from work in the wind and rain from
Tropical Storm Fay August 21, 2008 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Fay is
expected to produce rainfall accumulations over the few days of 5 to 10
inches (12.7 to 25.4cm) across the northern portion of Florida with
isolated amounts up to 15 inches (38cm) according to the National
Hurricane Center.

by Staff Writers
Miami (AFP) Aug 21, 2008

Tropical Storm Fay began a second slow slog across mainland Florida
Thursday, as President George W. Bush declared an emergency in the
waterlogged, wind-battered state.

"The president today declared an emergency exists in the state of
Florida and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response
efforts, due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm
Fay," spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in a statement.

Holding stationary over the northeastern part of Florida for hours, Fay
dumped rains of 50 to 75 centimeters (20 to 30 inches) in some parts of
the state, and caused widespread flooding.

"This storm is turning into a serious catastrophic flooding event,
particularly in southern Brevard County," Crist said on Wednesday as he
sought the emergency declaration giving Florida access to US federal
disaster assistance funds.

As of 5 pm (2100 GMT), Fay's center was just west of the location where
it made landfall two and a half hours earlier, at Flagler Beach, 120
kilometers (75 miles) north of Cape Canaveral, where the US space agency
NASA has a launch pad.

"Fay is moving toward the west near five miles per hour (seven
kilometers per hour.) This general slow motion should continue for the
next couple of days," the National Hurricane Center said in its latest
bulletin.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of near 95 kilometers (60 miles)
an hour with higher gusts, though it was expected to weaken as it moves
west toward Florida's Gulf Coast panhandle by early Saturday.

Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 150 miles (240
kilometers), mainly to the east of the storm's center, the NHC said.

The storm is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of five to 10
inches (13 to 25 centimeters) with isolated amounts of 15 inches (38
centimeters) possible across northern Florida, the center said.

Since it powered up from the Caribbean just short of hurricane strength
last weekend, Fay has crisscrossed the southeastern US state, first
blasting the tourist-heavy Keys, then plowing up the west coast before
making landfall Tuesday and crossing very slowly to the northeast.

The storm has spawned tornadoes, flooded some 50,000 homes and knocked
out power to 100,000 people.

Earlier in the Caribbean, Fay left a trail of destruction and at least
40 deaths -- particularly in Haiti, where a truck carrying around 60
passengers plunged into a swollen river during the storm.