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| Cuba braces for deadly hurricane | Cuba braces for deadly hurricane |
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| Mass evacuations are under way in Cuba hours before Hurricane Gustav is due to blow in after wreaking destruction around the Caribbean. | Mass evacuations are under way in Cuba hours before Hurricane Gustav is due to blow in after wreaking destruction around the Caribbean. |
| Some 13,000 residents and 4,000 tourists were evacuated on Friday from low-lying coastal regions and the capital Havana is also on storm alert. | Some 13,000 residents and 4,000 tourists were evacuated on Friday from low-lying coastal regions and the capital Havana is also on storm alert. |
| Half a million sacks of valuable dried cigar tobacco have been stored away. | Half a million sacks of valuable dried cigar tobacco have been stored away. |
| Gustav has reached Category 3 strength - the same as Katrina when it hit New Orleans in 2005 - and could increase. | Gustav has reached Category 3 strength - the same as Katrina when it hit New Orleans in 2005 - and could increase. |
| The US city has issued a mandatory evacuation order for coastal districts, or parishes, which comes into force on Saturday. | The US city has issued a mandatory evacuation order for coastal districts, or parishes, which comes into force on Saturday. |
| Overnight, Gustav, which now packs maximum sustained winds of up to 205km/h (125mph), struck the low-lying Cayman Islands. | |
| HURRICANE CATEGORIES FIVE: Winds over 155mph (249km/h). Storm surge more than 18ft (5.4m) above normal. Only three such US landfall hurricanes - Labour Day 1935, Camille 1969 and Andrew 1992FOUR: Winds 131-155mph. Storm surge 13-18ftTHREE: Winds 111-130mph. Storm surge 9-12ft. Katrina hit New Orleans as a three. TWO: Winds 96-110mph. Storm surge 6-8ftONE: Winds 74-95mph. Storm surge 4-5ft Source: Saffir-Simpson Scale/US National Hurricane Centre In pictures: Hurricane GustavPreparing for Gustav | HURRICANE CATEGORIES FIVE: Winds over 155mph (249km/h). Storm surge more than 18ft (5.4m) above normal. Only three such US landfall hurricanes - Labour Day 1935, Camille 1969 and Andrew 1992FOUR: Winds 131-155mph. Storm surge 13-18ftTHREE: Winds 111-130mph. Storm surge 9-12ft. Katrina hit New Orleans as a three. TWO: Winds 96-110mph. Storm surge 6-8ftONE: Winds 74-95mph. Storm surge 4-5ft Source: Saffir-Simpson Scale/US National Hurricane Centre In pictures: Hurricane GustavPreparing for Gustav |
| Storm surges and heavy rain flooded the streets of the tax haven and luxury tourist resort as people took refuge in government shelters, though no injuries were reported. | Storm surges and heavy rain flooded the streets of the tax haven and luxury tourist resort as people took refuge in government shelters, though no injuries were reported. |
| Earlier, Gustav swept through Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, killing more than 70 people and causing widespread damage. | Earlier, Gustav swept through Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, killing more than 70 people and causing widespread damage. |
| Its projected path also takes it over the oil-producing Gulf of Mexico, before striking the US early next week. | Its projected path also takes it over the oil-producing Gulf of Mexico, before striking the US early next week. |
| America's Federal Emergency Management Agency said it expected a "huge number" of residents would be told to leave the region over the weekend. | America's Federal Emergency Management Agency said it expected a "huge number" of residents would be told to leave the region over the weekend. |
| Storm surge fears | Storm surge fears |
| As of 1500 GMT on Saturday, the centre of Gustav was about 85km (55 miles) east of Isla de la Juventud, and about 295km east of the western tip of Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center said. | |
| Predicted route of Hurricane Gustav (30 August 2008)Enlarge Image | Predicted route of Hurricane Gustav (30 August 2008)Enlarge Image |
| Cuban evacuations focused on the coastal regions of Pinar del Rio and Isla Juventud. | Cuban evacuations focused on the coastal regions of Pinar del Rio and Isla Juventud. |
| "It will produce a storm surge and torrential rains in the western part of the country," warned Cuban meteorologist Jose Rubiera. | "It will produce a storm surge and torrential rains in the western part of the country," warned Cuban meteorologist Jose Rubiera. |
| In Havana, hotels and shops have been boarding up their windows and all buses and trains to and from the capital have been suspended until further notice. | In Havana, hotels and shops have been boarding up their windows and all buses and trains to and from the capital have been suspended until further notice. |
| Cuba, the only communist country in the Americas, boasts one of the best organised disaster-preparedness systems in the region, the BBC's Michael Voss reports. | Cuba, the only communist country in the Americas, boasts one of the best organised disaster-preparedness systems in the region, the BBC's Michael Voss reports. |
| However, much of its ageing housing stock is in poor condition and this could pose additional risks if Gustav hits the capital, a crowded city of two million people. | However, much of its ageing housing stock is in poor condition and this could pose additional risks if Gustav hits the capital, a crowded city of two million people. |
| Katrina dead | Katrina dead |
| Gustav claimed the lives of at least 59 people in Haiti, eight in the Dominican Republic and four in Jamaica, where heavy rains caused flooding and strong winds tore roofs off houses.Advertisement | Gustav claimed the lives of at least 59 people in Haiti, eight in the Dominican Republic and four in Jamaica, where heavy rains caused flooding and strong winds tore roofs off houses.Advertisement |
| Strong winds batter the Cayman Islands | Strong winds batter the Cayman Islands |
| In New Orleans, residents of coastal parishes faced mandatory evacuation from noon (1600 GMT). | In New Orleans, residents of coastal parishes faced mandatory evacuation from noon (1600 GMT). |
| The city buried the last seven unclaimed bodies of Katrina at a memorial site on Friday. | The city buried the last seven unclaimed bodies of Katrina at a memorial site on Friday. |
| Gustav is forecast to make landfall on the US Gulf Coast anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Tuesday and four states in all plan large-scale evacuations. | Gustav is forecast to make landfall on the US Gulf Coast anywhere from south Texas to Florida by Tuesday and four states in all plan large-scale evacuations. |
| Emergency officials have warned that a tidal storm surge up to nine metres (30ft) is possible along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. | Emergency officials have warned that a tidal storm surge up to nine metres (30ft) is possible along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. |
| A state of emergency is in place in Louisiana and Texas, allowing the federal government to co-ordinate disaster relief and provide assistance in storm-affected areas if necessary. | A state of emergency is in place in Louisiana and Texas, allowing the federal government to co-ordinate disaster relief and provide assistance in storm-affected areas if necessary. |
| Gustav is the second major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. | Gustav is the second major hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. |
| Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | Have you been affected by Gustav? Are you preparing for its arrival? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. |
| You can send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions | You can send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here.Read the terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |