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Hurricane Ike closes in on Havana Hurricane Ike blows past Havana
(about 1 hour later)
Hurricane Ike has powered ashore south of Cuba's capital, Havana, bringing with it fierce winds and heavy rains. Hurricane Ike rattled Havana after its second landfall in Cuba but the eye of the storm has now passed out to sea, Cuban hurricane monitors say.
Huge waves are pounding the capital's seafront promenade as the eye of the storm moves closer, while there are floods and mudslides on higher ground. It destroyed at least 16 buildings in the city but no injuries were reported and the centre of the storm is now in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Havana ahead of the storm's second landfall this week. More than a million people remained in storm-proof shelters on Tuesday.
Four people are known to have died so far in the storm, which battered the east of the island on Monday. Four people died in Cuba as a result of the hurricane - the first storm-related fatalities for several years.
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm', '1220894534', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=329,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Hurricane Ike's projected path href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm', '1220894534', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=329,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map It is the first time in several years that a hurricane has claimed lives in Cuba, which is renowned for its well-organised mass evacuations. There was also extensive damage to property. One person was killed by a falling tree, an elderly woman died when her house collapsed and two others were electrocuted.
One person was killed by a falling tree, an elderly woman died when her house collapsed and two others were electrocuted. State television said almost 1.25 million people had been moved to shelters - more than one tenth of the island's population.
State television said almost 1.25 million people had been moved to shelters so far - more than one tenth of the island's population. Louisiana warning
A further 175,000 people were evacuated from Havana; particularly those living in unstable apartment blocks that may not be able to withstand a direct hit by hurricane-force winds.
The Cuban authorities have put the entire population on maximum alert.
Deadly path
The eye of the storm made its second landfall in Cuba's Pinar del Rio province, about 55 miles (88km) south-west of Havana, packing sustained winds of 80mph (130km/h).The eye of the storm made its second landfall in Cuba's Pinar del Rio province, about 55 miles (88km) south-west of Havana, packing sustained winds of 80mph (130km/h).
The Category One storm was moving west-north-west at 13mph, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm', '1220894534', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=329,left=312,top=100'); return false;">Hurricane Ike's projected path href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1220894433/html/1.stm', '1220894534', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=466,height=329,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map
President Raul Castro and his brother Fidel were monitoring the storm "minute by minute", state television said. Ike first struck in Holguin province, which is home to the nickel mines, the country's top export earner.
RED CROSS APPEAL The charity is accepting donations to help people in the CaribbeanDonations can be made on 0845 053 53 53 or via its href="http://www.redcross.org.uk/donatesection.asp?id=85241">website class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7603429.stm">Havana prepares for the worst class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7603749.stm">Caribbean's devastating season class="" href="/1/hi/sci/tech/4588149.stm">Guide: How hurricanes form The BBC's Michael Voss in Havana says it is still too early to tell the full extent of the economic impact wrought by Ike. The BBC's Michael Voss in Havana says it is still too early to tell the full extent of the economic impact wrought by Ike.
Tens of thousands of buildings have been damaged and crops destroyed.Tens of thousands of buildings have been damaged and crops destroyed.
Ike first struck in Holguin province, which is home to the nickel mines, the country's top export earner. There is also likely to be an impact on the tourist industry, our correspondent says. There is also likely to be an impact on the tourist industry, our correspondent says.
The storm is due to head out into the Gulf of Mexico in a few hours' time, where it is expected to pick up speed with a projected heading towards the US Gulf coast. As the storm heads out into the Gulf of Mexico, it is expected to pick up speed and is projected to reach the US Gulf coast.
Louisiana's governor has warned coastal residents to be prepared to move inland, although the NHC said it was still too early to tell in which direction Ike would move. Louisiana's governor has warned coastal residents to be prepared to move inland.
Restoration fears However, the US National Hurricane Center said it was still too early to tell in which direction Ike would move.
Vulnerable architecture
The United Nations cultural agency, Unesco, has offered to help the Cuban government make good any damage to heritage sites and important buildings in Havana.The United Nations cultural agency, Unesco, has offered to help the Cuban government make good any damage to heritage sites and important buildings in Havana.
RECENT MAJOR STORMS Hurricane Ike: SeptemberTropical Storm Hanna: SeptemberHurricane Gustav: August, SeptemberTropical Storm Fay: August In pictures: Hurricane IkeEyewitness: Waiting for IkeHurricane Ike: Cubans' stories The agency's director in Havana, Herman van Hooff, said that the latest storm could be a setback to restoration work. RECENT MAJOR STORMS Hurricane Ike: SeptemberTropical Storm Hanna: SeptemberHurricane Gustav: August, SeptemberTropical Storm Fay: August In pictures: Hurricane IkeEyewitness: Waiting for IkeHurricane Ike: Cubans' stories
"Since the [1990s] there has been a very strong management system in place for the old Havana area, and a lot has been restored since then. The agency's director in Havana, Herman van Hooff, said that the latest storm could be a setback to restoration work.
"There is still a lot of fabric, a lot of architecture, a lot of housing that is in a fragile state, so any impact by a hurricane, be it wind or rain, is a great concern to everybody," he told the BBC. "Since the [1990s] there has been a very strong management system in place for the old Havana area, and a lot has been restored since then," he told the BBC.
Among those evacuated from Cuba before the arrival of Ike were 15,000 tourists. "There is still a lot of fabric, a lot of architecture, a lot of housing that is in a fragile state, so any impact by a hurricane, be it wind or rain, is a great concern to everybody."
Cuba is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Gustav, which hit just over a week ago, damaging almost 100,000 homes in the west of the island.Cuba is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Gustav, which hit just over a week ago, damaging almost 100,000 homes in the west of the island.
Ike earlier caused 66 deaths in Haiti and reportedly damaged 80% of the homes in the Turks and Caicos Islands.Ike earlier caused 66 deaths in Haiti and reportedly damaged 80% of the homes in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has endured the onslaught of four tropical storms in a three-week period, causing more than 550 deaths.Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has endured the onslaught of four tropical storms in a three-week period, causing more than 550 deaths.
Are you in the Caribbean? Have you been affected by the storms? What preparations have you made to deal with the adverse weather? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Are you in the Caribbean? Have you been affected by the storms? What preparations have you made to deal with the adverse weather? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
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