WORLD NEWS/ IGOR SLAMS NEWFOUNDLAND

Hurricane Igor swept into southern and eastern Newfoundland today, with enough force to close roads, shut down highway traffic, and put some coastal communities at risk. Igor had been expected to drop to a tropical storm by the time it reached Atlantic Canada, however as of 11:00am this morning, the storm remains a Hurricane. Parts of the Trans-Canada Highway were closed, electricity and phone outages were reported in several areas, and some bridges and roads dissolved before helpless onlookers. Flooding is reported in many areas of Newfoundland and weather radar out of St. Johns is estimating rainfall amounts of up to 1/2 inch per hour from Igor. Hurricane Igor is currently located 35 miles S/SE of Cape Race, Newfoundland, and is moving NE at 46mph. Winds are at 75mph, with gusts to 90mph. Igor, which is transisitioning into an Extra Tropical Storm, will soon take a turn to the N/NE and then to the N, while also slowing down in forward motion. The storm could affect the region for at least the next 24 hours. Meanwhile, further out in the Atlantic, Invest 94L has strengthened in the last 24 hours and is now Tropical Storm Lisa. Lisa, which is about 500 miles W/NW of the Cape Verde Islands, is not expected to intensify into a Hurricane or affect any land masses. In the Caribbena, aATropical Wave (Invest 95L) has developed and is moving W at 10 to 15mph though the Lesser Antilles Islands. The system is bringing gusty winds and heavy rain to the islands this morning, and has the potential to develop into a dangerous Caribbean Tropical Storm or Hurricane late this week. In the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Georgette has formed, just off the coast of Baja California. Georgette's main threat is heavy rain, as the storm is expected to make landfall over Baja California later today and rapidly weaken into a Tropical Depression by tomorrow. And in Asia, Typhoon Fanapi, which made landfall in mainland China yesterday, has dumped the heaviest rains seen in a century to the southern Guangdong Province of China. Rainfall amounts of 21.6" were recorded in the hardest-hit Shuangyao Township in Yangchun City.