The storm, which was packing 65kph winds, was due to cross Hispaniola’s southern coast on Tuesday night and drop up to 250mm of rain through Wednesday and 382mm in isolated places, potentially causing “life-threatening flooding,” the US-based National Hurricane Center said Tuesday evening.

Franklin was about 320km south-southwest of the Dominican Republic’s capital, Santo Domingo, as of 8pm EDT and moving north-northwest at 9kph, with winds extending 165km from its centre.

The Dominican Republic’s Center for Emergency Operations said on Tuesday that 25 provinces were under a red alert for possible flooding of rivers, streams and creeks. Seven provinces were under a yellow alert.

In Santo Domingo, the tide was high and strong waves pummelled the shore on Tuesday evening, but rain had not yet begun to fall.

The Hydro-Meteorological Unit of Haiti has issued a yellow alert for that country, citing a risk of landslides, strong waves, and landslides due to heavy rains and strong winds.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) said it had stationed emergency response teams and food in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It estimated that about 125,000 Dominicans in Franklin’s path live in overcrowded settlements that may be more vulnerable to flooding.

The UN’s migration agency said it had emergency supplies ready to assist 100,000 Haitians during the storm. According to UN estimates, about 200,000 people have been internally displaced in Haiti amid food shortages, kidnappings and widespread sexual violence as the country struggles to rein in gang warfare.

“Haiti is among the most vulnerable countries in the world when it comes to the effects of extreme weather,” said WFP Haiti director Jean-Martin Bauer.

The government of Panama’s Civil Protection System also issued a preventative alert in seven of nine provinces on Tuesday, citing heavy rainfall from Franklin in the central American country.