Havana, Sept. 26 (BNA): Tropical Storm Ian blew toward western Cuba on Sunday, prompting the government to evacuate tourists amid expectations of life-threatening storms as it turned into a hurricane on Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Reuters reported that Ian began strengthening over the warm waters of the Caribbean late Sunday, as he slowly moved northwest toward Cuba, with sustained winds of 60 mph (96 kph).
Cuba on Sunday evacuated tourists from Isla de la Juventud, off the island’s southwest coast, as well as workers from nearby Cayo Largo, one of the country’s top tourist destinations, according to official media reports.
Ports were closed across the western half of Cuba on Friday evening, and fishermen were called to port ahead of the impending storm, which is expected to bring heavy rains.
Cuban officials were monitoring the path of the storm, which was tilted slightly eastward than earlier forecasts suggested, bringing the capital, Havana, closer to the crossroads.
The National Hurricane Center said Ian was expected to develop into a major hurricane in the eastern Gulf of Mexico by midweek, but noted that “pathway uncertainty and intensity forecasts remain higher than normal.”
As of early Sunday evening, Tropical Storm Ian was 430 miles (695 km) from Cabo San Antonio, the westernmost tip of Cuba.
The center said hurricane warnings were issued in the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa.
“Life-threatening storms and hurricane-force winds are expected in parts of western Cuba starting late Monday,” the commission said.
Storm Ian is also expected to bring torrential rains, flash floods and possible mudslides in areas of higher terrain, particularly over Jamaica and Cuba.
And by midweek, the NHC added, the storm could cause flooding across the Florida Keys and the Florida Peninsula.
Florida officials warned people across the state to prepare for the storm with supplies of food, water, fuel, batteries and medicine.
Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in all 67 of the state’s counties.
“The trajectory of this is still uncertain,” he told a news conference. “The effects will be broad across the state of Florida.”
HF