HAVANA, A.P. On a course to make a major storm landfall on Florida's west coast as early as Wednesday, Hurricane Ian was intensifying as it made its way toward Cuba.
A significant hurricane named Ian was predicted to make landfall on the western tip of Cuba before intensifying into a Category 4 storm with top winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) over the warm Gulf of Mexico before making landfall in Florida.For their first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921, Tampa and St. Petersburg appeared to be among the most potential targets as of Monday.
"I ask that you take this storm seriously. It is authentic. At a press briefing on storm preparations in Tampa, Hillsborough County Emergency Management Director Timothy Dudley declared, "This is not a practice.
According to official media, authorities in Cuba evacuated 50,000 people from the Pinar del Rio province, dispatched medical and emergency services, and took precautions to save food and other crops stored in warehouses.
The Associated Press was informed by senior specialist Daniel Brown of the U.S. National Hurricane Center that "Cuba is anticipating extreme hurricane-force winds, also life-threatening storm surge, and significant rains."
According to the hurricane center, portions of Cuba's western coast could experience storm surges of up to 14 feet (4.3 meters) on Monday night or early Tuesday.
Along the renowned Malecon, the seafront boardwalk in Havana, fishermen were pulling their boats out of the water as city workers cleared storm drains in preparation for the impending rain.
Adyz Ladron, a 35-year-old resident of Havana, expressed his concern over the storm's potential for rising water.
He pointed to his chest and stated, "I am quite worried because my house is entirely flooded, with water up to here.
Residents fled the impoverished El Fanguito neighborhood of Havana, which is close to the Almendares River, were packing up what they could to leave their houses, many of which had storm damage.
"I'm hoping we avoid this one because it would be our demise. Abel Rodrigues, a 54-year-old health worker, remarked, "We already have so little.
Approximately 155 miles (250 kilometers) southeast of Cuba's western tip on Monday afternoon, Ian was traveling northwest at 13 mph (20 km/h), with top sustained winds reaching to 100 mph (155 km/h).In preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Ian in Havana, Cuba, on Monday, residents of the El Fanguito neighborhood transport a mattress to a safe location. (Associated Press photo)
Although the hurricane's center passed to the west of the Cayman Islands on Monday, there was no severe damage there and people were returning to the streets as the winds subsided.
According to Grand Cayman resident Gary Hollins, "We seem to have avoided the bullet." "I'm in a good mood."
Rather than lingering over Cuba, Ian will slow down over the Gulf of Mexico and become larger and stronger. This, according to the hurricane center, "will have the potential to bring significant wind and storm surge impacts over the west coast of Florida."
The Tampa Bay region was expected to experience a surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) of ocean water and 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, with as much as 15 centimeters (38 centimeters) inches in isolated spots. That much water would completely engulf coastal communities.
According to county administrator Bonnie Wise, as many as 300,000 people could be evacuated from low-lying areas in Hillsborough County alone. In the most susceptible neighborhoods, some of those evacuations started on Monday afternoon, and schools and other places opened as shelters.
"We must take all necessary precautions to safeguard our residents. Time is of the importance, according to Wise.
Florida residents emptied shop shelves of bottled water as they stood in line for hours in Tampa to obtain sacks of sand. As Ian spins northward off the state's Gulf Coast, Gov. Ron DeSantis proclaimed a state of emergency and issued a warning that it could lash significant portions of the state, cutting electricity and disrupting fuel supply.
At a press conference, DeSantis stated, "You have a tremendous storm that may develop into a Category 4 hurricane." "That will result in a significant storm surge. Events involving flooding are inevitable. There will be many various effects on you.On Monday, as Hurricane Ian blows through George Town, Grand Cayman island, waves pound the patio of the Lobster Pot restaurant. (Image courtesy of Associated Press, Kevin Morales)
According to DeSantis, the state has suspended tolls in the vicinity of Tampa Bay and activated 5,000 members of the Florida state national guard, with an additional 2,000 members on standby in adjacent states.
Additionally, President Joe Biden proclaimed a state of emergency, empowering the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate disaster relief efforts and offer support to safeguard people and property. Due of the storm, the president canceled a planned trip to Florida for Tuesday.
To be safe, NASA intended to carefully wheel the moon rocket from the launch pad to its hangar at the Kennedy Space Center, delaying the test flight by several weeks.
Much of the Florida peninsula was expected to see flash flooding, and the southeast of the United States could get significant rains later this week. The Florida Keys to Lake Okeechobee were under watches as winds from Ian's center extended 115 miles (185 kilometers) outward.
Although no one will be forced to leave, mandatory evacuation orders are anticipated to start on Tuesday, according to Bob Gualtieri, sheriff of Pinellas County, Florida, which contains St. Petersburg.
"What that means is that we won't be coming to assist you. Gualtieri said, "If you don't do it, you're on your own.
All areas along Tampa Bay and the rivers that feed it must be evacuated. Mayor Ken Welch of St. Petersburg warned locals not to disobey any evacuation orders.
Welch declared that the storm's threat to the neighborhood was "quite real."
Florida residents have been urged by the hurricane center to prepare emergency plans and follow any updates on the storm's changing course.
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