After Hurricane Fiona which devastated the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast of Canada last week, where a total of at least nine people were killed, Hurricane Ian should hit the coasts of Cuba during the day.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States warned that Ian was intensifying and that "conditions in western Cuba will deteriorate".
Here are the 11 pm EDT Monday Key Messages for Hurricane #Ian.
Significant wind and storm surge impacts will begin in western Cuba very soon.
Latest at https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/0QnTNNuV1u
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 27, 2022
According to the center, “maximum sustained winds have increased to nearly 155 km/h with higher gusts.
Rapid strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours and Ian is expected to become a major hurricane as it approaches the west coast of Cuba.
When they are qualified as “major”, the winds reach at least 178 km/h, that is to say categories 3, 4 and 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Hurricane Ian observed from the International Space Station.
#HurricaneIan pic.twitter.com/ktSC4OzMGQ
— Kunta van den Kinté (@denkinte_2) September 26, 2022
Under these conditions, Hurricane Ian is likely to inflict extensive damage by damaging homes, uprooting trees and disrupting water and electricity distribution.
Already, the Cuban Civil Defense has issued a cyclone warning bulletin for the six westernmost provinces of the island: Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Cienfuegos but also the island of Juventud, an island located 344 km south of the capital.
The waves in this area could reach between five and seven meters in height.
In addition, the authorities evacuated some 50,000 people in Pinar del Rio.
Lluvias en #PinardelRío a esta hora #PreparadosYAlertas #ACNreporta @ACN_Cuba pic.twitter.com/qWal7mQrcH
— Evelyn Corbillón Díaz (@evecdACN_Cuba) September 27, 2022
In the capital, where 2.1 million people live, long queues have formed to access certain foods.
Havana fishermen sheltered their boats before taking refuge in their homes, and residents reinforced their wooden houses.
“We reviewed compliance with measures to deal with Hurricane Ian.
It is urgent to take advantage of these hours before the situation becomes complicated.
The protection of the population is essential,” tweeted President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
The largest island in the British Cayman Islands Territory, Grand Cayman, also issued a hurricane warning.
After his passage over Cuba, Ian should then head towards the south-east of the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.
"It will approach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday and Thursday," the NHC warned.
There too, a state of emergency has been declared throughout Florida and the authorities are stepping up preparations.
Ian "will cause heavy rain, high winds, flash flooding and storm surges, as well as isolated tornadoes along Florida's Gulf Coast," Governor Ron DeSantis warned.
