Kingston : Hurricane Matthew, a potentially devastating Category 4 storm, swirled across the Caribbean toward Haiti and Jamaica, where residents frantically stocked up on emergency supplies and authorities urged people to evacuate threatened areas, reports AP.
Matthew is one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in recent history and briefly reached the top classification, Category 5, becoming the strongest hurricane here since Felix in 2007. A hurricane warning has been issued for the impoverished country which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Deforestation has greatly increased the potential for devastating floods and landslides on Haiti and the country’s ramshackle homes and buildings are vulnerable to storms.
After passing Jamaica and Haiti, Matthew is expected to reach Cuba late tomorrow, potentially making a direct hit on the US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, where authorities said they were evacuating non-essential personnel, including about 700 family members of those serving there.
There are about 5,500 people living on the base, including 61 men held at the detention center. The forecast track would also carry Matthew into the Bahamas, with an outside chance of a brush with Florida, though that would be several days away.
