Hurricane Ike came hurtling over already flooded Haiti and raked the Bahamas. Ike came in as a category 4, but as the storm reached Cuba, it turned into a category 3. It was predicted that the storms center would continue along the coast and into Western Cuba. There have not been any immediate reports of deaths, even though there were waves that crashed into five-story apartment buildings, winds that uprooted trees and toppled poles. As Ike made its way through Cuba, it lessened into category 2 storms and again into a category 1 storm, until it went offshore again to regain power. "It can definitely maintain its strength right now, and when it's out of Cuba it has the potential to become a lot stronger,” said meteorologist Felix Garcia from the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Ike has been on everyone’s radar since it was detected in the Atlantic coast. Its strength has many people preoccupied with what to come. Fortunately for many of us here in Miami, not a devastating storm has struck us. Unfortunately for Cuba and the Caribbean, and could possibly be the Gulf Coast, Ike holds strength that could be devastating.
Many Cuban families in Miami have no connection with their families back home. With Hurricane Hanna, many of the communications and order was mixed up in Cuba. With Ike pummeling through, many families here are holding their breath for what’s to come.
