Storm Bertha Strengthens as it Heads towards U.S. Coast

Tropical Storm Bertha picked up strength Monday and was forecast to become a hurricane as it moved north from the Bahamas, U.S. monitors said.

The National Hurricane Center reported in its 09:00 GMT bulletin that the center of Bertha was located about 220 miles (350 kilometers) east of Great Abaco Island, in the northern Bahamas.

The storm was moving towards the north at around 16 miles (26 kilometers) per hour packing winds of nearly 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts.

"Additional strengthening is expected ... and Bertha is forecast to become a hurricane later today," the NHC said.

While the outer bands of Bertha might brush the U.S. coast, it was not expected to make landfall.

On its forecast track, Bertha "will continue to move away from the Bahamas ... and pass about midway between the U.S. east coast and Bermuda on Tuesday," the NHC said.

The NHC earlier said Bertha was expected to drop up to five inches (13 centimeters) of rain across eastern portions of the Dominican Republic, as well as the Turks and Caicos through Monday.

Dominican authorities on Sunday declared a red-alert emergency after heavy rains triggered by Bertha toppled trees and flooded the banks of many rivers in the mountainous nation. No injuries were immediately reported.