The first strong winds ahead of Hurricane Ian began to pound Cuban coastal villages late on Monday as officials rushed to evacuate residents, secure boats and batten down homes amid warnings of a life threatening storm surge.
The fast-growing storm is centered about 155 miles southeast of Cabo San Antonio, in far western Cuba, but has jumped in intensity in recent hours with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour , making it a"Devastating wind damage is possible where the core of Ian moves across western Cuba," the center said.
Cuba is already suffering an economic crisis that has led to long lines for food, fuel and medicine, as well as regular blackouts countrywide. Most grocery store shelves have been largely bare for months, complicating preparations for the storm. "We´ve been preparing since Saturday," Ruiz said as the wind began to raise whitecaps on the water. "The sea always surges here."
Fertilizer, charcoal and farm animals had been moved to secure locations, officials said, and infrastructure for the region´s tobacco industry protected.