US monitors 2 new tropical storms

US officials were keeping a close eye Tuesday on two tropical storms already posing a potential threat after deadly Hurricane Gustav battered the US Gulf Coast.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Monday preparations were already under way as Hanna hit the Turks and Caicos Islands, with a forecast that it would head toward the southeastern US coast.
Hanna lost some wind strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm Tuesday with driving rains that could spark deadly flooding in Haiti and eastern Cuba, the National Hurricane Center warned.
With Hanna packing sustained winds of 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, "heavy rainfall was affecting the southeastern Bahamas, Turks and Caicos islands and Haiti," the NHC said at 1200 GMT.
It said Hanna could dump up to 20 inches (50 centimetres) in the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands, and up to 12 inches (30 centimetres) in the central Bahamas.
"Rainfall amounts of two to four inches with maximum amounts of up to eight inches (20 centimetres) are expected over the mountainous terrain of eastern Cuba and northern portions of Hispaniola where these rains could cause life-threatening mudslides and flash flooding," the NHC warned.
"Hanna could regain hurricane strength later" Tuesday or Wednesday," the NHC added.
Tropical Storm Ike, meanwhile, formed further east, and a tropical depression -- the 10th of the 2008 hurricane season -- has emerged in the far east Atlantic as of early Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Centre.
"It's a little early to tell where Ike is going to go, but we clearly have to be getting ready for Hanna and we're working with the states in the potential target area to make sure they're getting ready to do what they have to do," Chertoff told CNN.
Ike was whirling about 1,235 miles (1985 km) east of the Leeward islands, the NHC said.