Browse > Home /

Cayman Islands, Top Stories

/ Hurricane Ike ravages Cuba - ...

Hurricane Ike ravages Cuba - Expected to Hit US Coast

2008-09-08 16:13:08 (GMT) (Caymanmama.com - Cayman Islands Top Stories News)

Print & Social Options
Hurricane Ike Ravages Cuba

Dallas, Texas (CaymanMama.com) — Proving forecasters right that the hurricane season of 2008 would be stronger and more turbulent than average, Hurricane Ike has set its sights on the small country of Cuba ravaging the island and sending immense waves over unassuming residences. Displaced from their home, over 90,000 Cubans were forced to find safe shelter with residents in Texas and Louisiana on high alert as the hurricane is expected to hit the US coast later this week.

Hurricane Ike already scraped across the Bahamas and created severe flooding in Haiti killing some 319 people before making landfall in Cuba as a Category-3 hurricane. Subsequently, Ike weakened thereafter to a still-strong Category-2 as it traveled along Cuba’s edge. Some weather forecasters predicted that Ike would hit Havana, Cuba directly ultimately destroying the historic landmarks that are already vulnerable to strong weather before entering the Gulf of Mexico. Thereafter, forecasters said that Ike would collide with the US coast.

According to a report issued by the Associated Press, “A tally of sporadic reports from six of the eight eastern provinces affected indicated at least 900,000 people had evacuated, and former [Cuban] President Fidel Castro released a statement calling on Cubans to heed security measures to ensure no one dies. Cuba historically has successfully carried off massive evacuations before hurricanes, sparing countless lives.”

Among the other people affected by the hurricane is the tourist population. Cuban television stations noted that officials took precautionary measures to protect the thousands of tourists from Europe and Canada staying at seaside resort hotels and pulled 9,000 tourists from the resort of Varadero, east of the capital city.

The tourist industry wasn’t the only one to be affected in a big way. Cuban workers also hustled to preserve the valuable coffee plants and other crops, with more plans in the hopper to distribute food and cooking oil to disaster areas.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Florida Keys, as well as Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, according to the hurricane center



eMama · Filed Under Cayman Islands, Top Stories 

CaymanMama.com - Press Release Distribution Service

Comments

Comments are closed.



Articles



Online Press Release Distribution| Submit Press Release Here

Owner: CaymanMama.com