Hurricane Gustav hits Cuba, heads to U.S.

Powerful Hurricane Gustav is headed toward the U.S. Gulf coast after hitting western Cuba.

Izvor: VOA

Sunday, 31.08.2008.

11:17

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Powerful Hurricane Gustav is headed toward the U.S. Gulf coast after hitting western Cuba. The U.S. city of New Orleans is under a mandatory evacuation order Sunday, three years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the city and killed hundreds of people. Hurricane Gustav hits Cuba, heads to U.S. Cuban state media say Gustav's winds of 240 kilometers per hour caused widespread damage Saturday, but no reported deaths after some 250,000 people were evacuated from the hard-hit region. Officials said the hurricane devastated plantations, uprooted trees, destroyed buildings and washed boats ashore. However, Cuba's key cash crop - tobacco - had been moved into warehouses to protect it from damage. The storm swept past Cuba's Isle of Youth and over its mainland during the day, dropping considerable amounts of rain. Gustav claimed at least 80 lives in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic in recent days. Forecasters say the storm will likely continue to strengthen as it moves toward the southern U.S. coast, which could be hit early Monday. Hurricane watches have been posted along a large portion of the U.S. coast between the states of Florida and Texas. U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, are traveling to Mississippi Sunday to check on people getting ready for the hurricane. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama spoke by phone Saturday with officials in Louisiana. The U.S. Gulf coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have started evacuating coastal residents. The mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, has ordered mandatory evacuation of the city on Sunday morning. Separately, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to move near the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean later Sunday or early Monday. Hanna has wind speeds of 85 kilometers per hour and is also expected to strengthen.

Hurricane Gustav hits Cuba, heads to U.S.

Cuban state media say Gustav's winds of 240 kilometers per hour caused widespread damage Saturday, but no reported deaths after some 250,000 people were evacuated from the hard-hit region.

Officials said the hurricane devastated plantations, uprooted trees, destroyed buildings and washed boats ashore. However, Cuba's key cash crop - tobacco - had been moved into warehouses to protect it from damage.

The storm swept past Cuba's Isle of Youth and over its mainland during the day, dropping considerable amounts of rain.

Gustav claimed at least 80 lives in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic in recent days.

Forecasters say the storm will likely continue to strengthen as it moves toward the southern U.S. coast, which could be hit early Monday.

Hurricane watches have been posted along a large portion of the U.S. coast between the states of Florida and Texas.

U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin, are traveling to Mississippi Sunday to check on people getting ready for the hurricane.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama spoke by phone Saturday with officials in Louisiana.

The U.S. Gulf coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have started evacuating coastal residents. The mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, has ordered mandatory evacuation of the city on Sunday morning.

Separately, Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to move near the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean later Sunday or early Monday. Hanna has wind speeds of 85 kilometers per hour and is also expected to strengthen.

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