PARIS (Reuters) -French authorities placed its Caribbean department of Guadeloupe on red alert, its most serious warning, on Friday, as Tropical Storm Jerry passed close to the islands, while Martinique to the south remains on orange alert.

“After the torrential rains which hit the east and north of the archipelago from late evening onwards, a spiral band, also generating very heavy, persistent and stormy rain, is setting in over the archipelago,” Meteo-France said in a statement.

Improvement is expected from midday local time on Friday, it added.

Local officials did not provide details on whether the storm had caused any damage or led to any victims.

(Reporting by Alban Kacher; Editing by Makini Brice and Ros Russell)

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