Death toll rises from Tropical Storm Nicole in Jamaica
Nicole triggered flash floods and mudslides that swept through shanty towns
The death toll from Tropical Storm Nicole in Jamaica has risen to five following flash floods and mudslides triggered by the storm, officials say.
At least seven others are missing, swept away by floodwaters, Jamaica's disaster management office said.
The latest victims include two men who died when a house in Kingston collapsed in a slide triggered by heavy rain on saturated ground.
Nicole broke apart over the Atlantic late on Wednesday afternoon.
Washed away
But intermittent rains increased the risk of additional landslides across the island.
Emergency workers were trying to locate at least seven missing people, most of whom were believed to have been washed away in slides that roared through Kingston shanty towns.
Schools and universities stayed closed for a second day, while about 30% of those served by Jamaica's utility company were without power, officials said.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who surveyed the damage by helicopter on Wednesday, said the recovery would "cost a significant amount of money".
Nicole is the latest storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. The storm's remnants have now begun moving up the east coast of America.
The US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, said there was a fair chance the weather system could develop into a tropical depression in the next couple of days, raising the possibility of coastal flooding.
