Topline
Hurricane Ian, the first major storm of the fall, doused parts of Cuba with heavy rain, strong winds and intense flooding after making landfall as a Category 3 storm Tuesday morning—and it’s expected to intensify as it heads toward Florida.
Residents in western Cuba walk through flooded streets after Hurricane Ian made landfall Tuesday … [+]
Key Facts
Coastal flooding and intense winds ripped through western Cuba on Tuesday, damaging homes and tobacco fields, forcing evacuations and leading to power outages around the cities of San Juan y Martinez and Pinar del Rio, the New York Times reported.
The eye of the storm had moved north of the island by Tuesday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Ian is expected to develop into a Category 4 storm and hit Florida’s Gulf Coast near the Tampa Bay area on Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center, prompting evacuations and bringing the threat of flash flooding and 10-foot storm surges to a region of Florida that rarely faces major hurricanes.
Cubans stand outside a flooded warehouse in Batabano, near where Hurricane Ian made landfall
Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba early Tuesday and prompted mass evacuations
A family searches for shelter after their home flooded when Hurricane Ian hit in Pinar del Rio, … [+]
In preparation for the storm, four counties in Florida—including the cities of Tampa, Clearwater and … [+]
Ian tore down trees and utility poles in cities in western Cuba.
Life-threatening surf conditions were felt in many areas of the Caribbean, including Grand Cayman
Further Reading
Hurricane Ian Hits Cuba As Category 3 Storm On Approach To Florida (Forbes)
Hurricane Ian Evacuation Orders Grow: Tampa, St. Petersburg And Fort Myers Areas Targeted (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/09/27/in-photos-hurricane-ian-slams-cuba-and-barrels-toward-florida-heres-a-look-at-the-damage/