Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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September 7, 2008

Hurricane Ike Strengthens Near Southeastern Bahamas
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1E11C6E:A6F02AD83191E160866076BCCB7CBBF470AD7039DCD7B7E4&
 
Ike is expected to move over eastern Cuba Sunday night and central Cuba
early Monday while dumping up to 50 centimeters of rain 
Hurricane Ike has strengthened to an extremely dangerous Category Four
storm as it maintains a course that threatens the Bahamas, Cuba, and the
U.S. Gulf Coast. At 1500 UTC, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said
Ike is located just west of the Great Inagua Island in the southeastern
Bahamas, with maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour.
Forecasters say the hurricane is heading westward at speeds of 20
kilometers per hour. It is expected to move over eastern Cuba Sunday
night and central Cuba early Monday, dumping up to 50 centimeters of
rain. Storm surge flooding is expected to be about five and a half
meters above normal tide levels. Officials in the southeastern U.S.
state of Florida have ordered tourists and residents to evacuate the
state's Keys Islands chain. Haiti and the Dominican Republic have issued
tropical storm warnings, even as they recover from Tropical Storm Hanna,
which caused severe flooding and left more than 500 people dead.
International aid efforts are underway to help thousands of Haitians who
have been without food and clean water for days as a result of heavy
flooding caused by a series of storms and hurricanes. The United Nations
plans to distribute 19 tons of high-energy biscuits and 50 tons of clean
water in Haiti. The United States has also pledged aid, including
emergency medical kits and plastic sheeting. Meanwhile, the European
Union has announced it is giving the impoverished country $2.8 million
to help the storm victims. Haitian President René Preval had appealed
for international help, He says the situation in his country is
catastrophic.


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