Puerto Rico was hit with heavy rains, flash flooding and mudslides triggered by subtropical Storm Olga on Tuesday, as forecasters predict further rains in Hispaniola.

The storm hit Puerto Rico's northern coast overnight with top sustained winds of 45 mph and caused blackouts leaving around 76,000 people without power.

U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasters predicted strong winds in the upper atmosphere would start on Wednesday with up to 6 inches of rain expected in Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

These rains have already produced life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in Puerto Rico, the forecasters said in an advisory also noting that Olga's greatest threat was torrential rains.

At 10 a.m. EST, the storm's center was about 130 miles east-southeast of the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo and it was moving west, the National Hurricane Center said. Several areas in Puerto Rico received up to 7 inches of rain.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended November 30, however the National Hurricane Center said Olga will be included in the tally for the 2007 season. The total number of storms for the Atlantic region is 15 with six hurricanes. The next season officially begins June 1.

Puerto rico Storm