Fay lashes Cuba

Tropical Storm Fay has struck Cuba after causing widespread flooding that left dozens dead in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.



The storm appears to have spared Havana and caused minimal damage elsewhere in Cuba, where authorities had evacuated dozens of low-lying areas.



US forecasters say Fay could reach hurricane strength before it nears the Florida Keys later today.



The storm passed over Haiti and the Dominican Republic over the weekend, bringing torrential downpours.



Several persons were killed by the flooding, and in Haiti, many people were feared to have drowned in the south-west of the country after the bus in which they were travelling was swept away by a swollen river yesterday.