Tropical Storm Mindy churns north

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Tropical Storm Mindy formed in the Caribbean and strengthened Friday as it churned toward the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Mindy became the 13th named storm this season, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph with higher gusts.

The storm, 120 miles southeast of Grand Turk island at latitude 20.2 north, longitude 69.8 west, is moving northwest at 13 mph and the motion was moving the storm away from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect for the far southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Mindy has the potential for further strengthening over the next 24 hours, forecasters said. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles mainly to the northeast of the storm's center.

Heavy rains associated with the storm system lashed Puerto Rico on Friday, leaving 30,000 homes without electricity and flooding three homes in southeastern Guayama. Electricity has been restored to most homes. No injuries were reported.

In a period of 12 hours, an average of 2 inches of rainfall fell throughout the U.S. Caribbean territory of 4-million residents.

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