"Tourists, residents flee as Gustav swamps Jamaica
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) - Residents, tourists and oil workers fled as Gustav swamped Jamaica on Thursday, leaving 59 people dead in its wake. Louisiana and Texas put their national guards on standby, and New Orleans said a mandatory evacuation might be necessary.
At least 51 people died in Haiti from floods, mudslides and falling trees, including 25 around the city of Jacmel, where Gustav first struck land Tuesday. Eight more people were buried when a cliff gave way in the Dominican Republic. Marcelina Feliz died clutching her 11-month-old baby. Five more of her children were smothered in the wreckage beside her.
Oh, man!!
Forecasters said parts of Jamaica could get 25 inches of rain, which could trigger landslides and cause serious crop damage. Oil prices jumped above $120 a barrel on fears that the storm could affect production in the Gulf area. The storm could send U.S. gas prices back over $4 a gallon.
"Prices are going to go up pretty soon. You're going to see increases by 5, 10, 15 cents a gallon,'' said Tom Kloza, publisher of the Oil Price Information Service in Wall, N.J.
In Gustav's wake, Haitians struggled to find affordable food.
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