United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Tourists evacuated as Sandy hits Cuba, more cruise routes altered
Tens of thousands of tourists and residents have been evacuated from vulnerable areas as hurricane Sandy hits south-east Cuba.
The US National Hurricane Center said Sandy has now strengthened into a category two hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 114 mph reported in Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second largest city.
At least 55,000 people have been evacuated and flights to and from eastern Cuba have been cancelled.
Hoteliers in Santiago are setting up generators to provide emergency power.
Forecaster believe Sandy will cross the island within a few hours, heading north toward the Bahamas.
Yesterday, a man was killed when Sandy hit Jamaica. Jamaica’s international airports were closed and cruise ships cancelled stops as Sandy, then a tropical storm, swept across the island.
British Airways was forced to cancel its flight from London to Kingston and Virgin Atlantic delayed its departure from London to Montego Bay.
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest passenger ship, and three Carnival ships – the Valor, Pride and Glory- were all forced to change their itineraries to avoid the hurricane. Disney’s 2,500-passenger Disney Dream is skipping a Friday call at Castaway Cay, the company private island in the Bahamas. It will remain at sea instead of calling at port. Saturday’s port call of Nassau is currently pending weather conditions. Disney Fantasy is also skipping a call at Castaway Cay.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Jamaica, parts of Cuba, the Ragged Islands in Bahamas and the central and northwestern Bahamas.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Haiti, the east coast of Florida from Ocean Reef to Sebastian Inlet, Lake Okeechobee, and the remainder of the southeastern Bahamas.
Linsey McNeill, Bev Fearis, Gretchen Kelly
Related News Stories:
Gretchen Kelly
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled