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Gustav regains hurricane strength Powerful Gustav heads to Caymans
(about 3 hours later)
Tropical storm Gustav has reached hurricane strength again after battering Jamaica and killing at least 71 people in the Caribbean. Hurricane Gustav is moving towards the Cayman Islands as it continues to threaten Cuba and the US Gulf Coast.
The hurricane had maximum winds of nearly 121km/h (75mph), the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm has already killed at least 71 people as it passed through the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica.
It hit Jamaica with heavy rains and strong winds, tearing roofs off houses. Gustav could develop into a category three storm over the weekend as it passes over warm waters.
It is forecast to hit the US early next week, prompting evacuation plans in New Orleans, three years after the city was hit by Hurricane Katrina. The warnings came as New Orleans buried some of the last unidentified victims of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the city three years ago.
New Orleans and coastal Mississippi have been holding commemorations of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. name="link"> Both New Orleans and coastal Mississippi have been holding commemorations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina on the anniversary of the storm sweeping ashore.
New Orleans buried the last seven unclaimed bodies of Katrina at a memorial site on Friday. Cuba concern
"We look ahead to a better day, as we also prepare ourselves for another threat," said Mayor Ray Nagin at the funeral. Away from the US, Gustav strengthened from a tropical storm on Friday to become a category one hurricane and currently has sustained winds of up to 130 km/h (81mph), officials said.
Meanwhile, Gustav was forecast to move towards the Cayman Islands, where residents were boarding up windows and stocking up on supplies of food and fuel. class="bodl" href="#map">See map of the region name="link"> class="bodl" href="#map">See map of the region
The storm hit Jamaica with heavy rains and strong winds, tearing roofs off houses.
It is now moving slowly, at about 12km/h (7.5mph), and there are fears that it could intensify as it lingers over the warm, deep waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Cuban authorities have already evacuated more than 60,000 people from low-lying coastal areas and have mobilised medical and emergency rescue teams to deal with the possible aftermath.
The BBC's Michael Voss, in Havana, says that Cuba has one of the most efficient disaster preparedness and evacuation organisations in the region, but that the poor condition of housing in the capital could pose additional risks in a major storm.
Gustav's projected path also takes it over the oil-producing Gulf of Mexico.
On Friday, residents of the Cayman Islands were boarding up windows and stocking up on supplies of food and fuel. Tourists on the low-lying luxury islands were flown to safety or told to ride out the storm in bunkers.
Workers were being evacuated from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, as oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts Gustav could threaten oil installations in the region.Workers were being evacuated from oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, as oil prices on trading markets rose amid forecasts Gustav could threaten oil installations in the region.
'Looting' Katrina compassion
Gustav claimed the lives of at least 59 people in Haiti, eight in the Dominican Republic and four in Jamaica. New Orleans buried the last seven unclaimed bodies of Katrina at a memorial site on Friday.New Orleans buried the last unclaimed bodies from Katrina on Friday
"We look ahead to a better day, as we also prepare ourselves for another threat," said Mayor Ray Nagin at the funeral.
It is forecast to hit the US early next week as the biggest storm since Katrina, prompting evacuation plans in New Orleans.
A spokesman for the US emergency response administration, Fema, warned that a tidal storm surge up to nine metres (30ft) was possible along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
US President George W Bush has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana and Texas.
Meteorologists say the storm could make landfall in the US anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Tuesday.
The aftermath of tropical storm Gustav in the Dominican RepublicThe aftermath of tropical storm Gustav in the Dominican Republic
Heavy rain and winds lashed eastern parts of Jamaica on Thursday causing chaos. Gustav has already claimed the lives of at least 59 people in Haiti, eight in the Dominican Republic and four in Jamaica.
"The water is rising fast and there is widespread looting down here," resident Jackie Thompson told Reuters news agency from Montego Bay. Heavy rain and wind lashed eastern parts of Jamaica on Thursday.
"The people are even stripping the material from one of the bridges. It is awful."
Gustav had been downgraded to the status of a tropical storm after weakening over Haiti on Wednesday.Gustav had been downgraded to the status of a tropical storm after weakening over Haiti on Wednesday.
A hurricane is defined by winds of 119km/h (74mph), according to the NHC. But forecasters now fear it could develop winds of up to 180km/h (111 mph) by the time it reaches Cuba on Saturday.
Across the Cayman Islands, non-essential government employees were sent home on Thursday afternoon ahead of the storm's expected arrival. A hurricane is defined by winds of 119km/h (74mph), according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Cayman Airways added 25 extra flights to their schedules in an effort to transport tourists and residents wanting to get off the islands.
But officials said they were not expecting a significant storm surge for Grand Cayman - which came as a welcome relief to islanders as much of the island sits just metres above sea-level.
Meteorologists say the storm could make landfall in the US anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Tuesday.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard.
Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.Gustav is the seventh tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
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