Hurricane Ike roars through Caribbean toward Florida Keys

“Extremely dangerous” is what Hurricane Ike is being called as it grew to a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 135mph on Saturday, and as it roared through the Caribbean on a path that is as yet uncertain, but is causing concern to millions of residents throughout the Caribbean, in the Florida Keys and also in New Orleans.

Preparations are underway along a stretch of more than 1,000 miles as the hurricane shifted a bit to the south-west, which might see it move across Cuba and the Florida Keys by Tuesday, and then head into the open and warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As with Hanna, Ike could pose a threat to the already-battered Gulf Coast of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans.

“These storms have a mind of their own,” said Florida Governor Charlie Crist, after meeting with emergency officials and mayors of cities across the state. “There are no rules, so what we have to do is be prepared, be smart, vigilant and alert.”

The British territory of Turks and Caicos was first in the path of Hurricane Ike – islands that had been hit hard by Tropical Storm Hanna last week. A passenger at the islands’ airport said: “It looks really, really serious, and I think it’s going to be devastating.”

Authorities in Haiti was trying to relocate thousands of residents into shelters, but the struggle of trying to recover from the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Hanna is hampering efforts.

www.nhc.noaa.gov