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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Hurricane heads for Caymans, Cuba | Hurricane heads for Caymans, Cuba |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| Hurricane Paloma is gathering strength as it heads across the Caribbean towards the Cayman Islands and Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center says. | Hurricane Paloma is gathering strength as it heads across the Caribbean towards the Cayman Islands and Cuba, the US National Hurricane Center says. |
| Paloma is expected to hit the Cayman Islands late on Friday and then move towards Cuba, striking its southern coast on Sunday. | Paloma is expected to hit the Cayman Islands late on Friday and then move towards Cuba, striking its southern coast on Sunday. |
| At 0900GMT, the Category One storm was 175km (110 miles) south of Grand Cayman, with 130km/h (80mph) winds. | At 0900GMT, the Category One storm was 175km (110 miles) south of Grand Cayman, with 130km/h (80mph) winds. |
| It is expected to become a Category Two storm later in the day. | It is expected to become a Category Two storm later in the day. |
| Paloma is the 16th storm of the Atlantic storm season and the eighth hurricane.It has already brought heavy rain to parts of Honduras and Nicaragua. | |
| 'No complacency' | 'No complacency' |
| Residents of the Caymans, Cuba and Jamaica have all been put on alert. | Residents of the Caymans, Cuba and Jamaica have all been put on alert. |
| Authorities in the Cayman Islands have urged residents not to leave storm preparations to the last minute. | |
| "History has taught us that we cannot afford complacency during hurricane season, for conditions can rapidly deteriorate," said the islands' top elected official, Kurt Tibbetts. | "History has taught us that we cannot afford complacency during hurricane season, for conditions can rapidly deteriorate," said the islands' top elected official, Kurt Tibbetts. |
| In Cuba, officials in every province were working to "guarantee the protection of the public and economic resources", the Civil Defense said. | In Cuba, officials in every province were working to "guarantee the protection of the public and economic resources", the Civil Defense said. |
| Paloma would be the fifth hurricane to hit Cuba this season. | Paloma would be the fifth hurricane to hit Cuba this season. |
| Gustav and Ike, which struck Cuba on 30 August and 9 September respectively, caused billions of dollars worth of damage and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. | Gustav and Ike, which struck Cuba on 30 August and 9 September respectively, caused billions of dollars worth of damage and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. |