Cuba was preparing this Monday for the arrival of Hurricane Ian at the western end of the island.
The Cuban government has established the cyclone alert phase for six western provinces and includes the capital, Havana.
“We are entering a challenging week with Hurricane Ian very close. Maximum protection of human lives and material resources. Let nothing fail. We will win,” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel wrote on Twitter, after referring to the triumph of a new code of families in a referendum held on Sunday.
Hello #Cuba. With joy at the first results of the referendum in favor of #CodigoYeswe enter a challenging week with a hurricane #Ian Very close. Maximum protection of human lives and material resources. Let nothing fail. overcomehttps://t.co/9BY9rhF3vx
– Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 26, 2022
Hours later, he added: “It is urgent to make the most of these hours before the situation becomes more complex.”
We reviewed compliance with the measures to address the #HurricaneIan. The provinces have been complying with all the indications. It is urgent to make the most of these hours before the situation becomes more complex. The protection of the population is essential. https://t.co/mAdlwVwr9I
– Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) September 26, 2022
The Cuban Meteorological Institute (Insmet) said that the hurricane – the fourth this season – intensified on Monday morning over the northwest of the Caribbean Sea with winds of 130 kilometers per hour and higher gusts.
This placed him, at the time, in category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Classes were canceled in parts of the island and evacuations were planned in some western provinces.
The Insmet estimates that Ian will reach the Isle of Youth on Monday afternoon in the form of a tropical storm, with winds at a speed between 65 and 80 kilometers per hour, and that it will reach the south of western Cuba at night.
“In the early morning they will be able to reach hurricane force in Pinar del Río,” Cuba’s westernmost province, he added.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center, meanwhile, said “potentially deadly storm surge, hurricane-force winds, flash flooding and possible landslides are expected in parts of western Cuba starting tonight and into on Tuesday”.
“Devastating damage is possible if Ian’s core moves around western Cuba,” he added.
Cuba could see up to 250 millimeters of rain, according to forecasts.
The Caribbean is still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Fiona, which hit the region last week.
Road to Florida
When Ian became a category 1 hurricane on Monday morning, authorities in the state of Florida (USA) urged residents to “make your preparations”.
It is forecast that, after passing through Cuba, it will continue its route through the northwestern Caribbean and reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday, where the city of Tampa is located.
The exact path of the hurricane is uncertain, but Governor Ron DeSantis warned of “wide impacts throughout the state.”
The National Hurricane Center said it expects “rapid strengthening” of Ian over the next 48 hours, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour.
Along Florida’s Tampa Bay shoreline, grocery store shelves were quickly cleared of basic necessities and there were long lines at gas stations.
“It’s never too early to prepare,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor tweeted on Sunday.
Local officials from your municipality and others like Miami and Fort Lauderdale are distributing free sandbags to help residents protect their homes from flooding.
Forecasters said flash flooding is possible by Tuesday across the Florida panhandle and the Florida Keys as the approaching hurricane makes landfall.
The governor declared a state of emergency for all of Florida over the weekend and has now activated 5,000 National Guard troops to help with relief efforts.
DeSantis said Ian poses a risk of “dangerous storm surge, heavy rain, flash flooding, high winds, dangerous seas and isolated tornado activity.”
“This is a really big hurricane right now,” he told a news conference on Monday, urging residents to “remain calm” but “do whatever it takes to be prepared.”
The White House will also provide its support in the event of a disaster.
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BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-63039841, IMPORTING DATE: 2022-09-26 18:00:07
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