Tropical disturbance hits west Caribbean, causing floods in Jamaica and Haiti before dissipating

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A tropical disturbance moved across the western Caribbean on Friday, knocking out power to thousands in Jamaica and causing two deaths in Haiti as it unleashed landslides and floods before dissipating, authorities said.

Some 14,000 customers lost power in Jamaica after heavy rains downed trees, severed power lines and caused landslides, according to Jamaica Public Service Co. At least 24 people were rescued from floodwaters in the island’s southeastern region, the Jamaican Defense Force said.

Heavy rains also hit Haiti, where the Civil Protection Agency told The Associated Press late Friday that two people had died after being swept away by floods in the country’s western Grand’Anse region.

Forecasters had said earlier in the day that the disturbance had a chance to become a tropical cyclone, but by Friday night they said that was considered unlikely and it dissipated a few hours later near Cuba's eastern end.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that heavy rains still posed a threat of flash floods and mudslides over the weekend in southeastern Cuba and the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.