Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba Call for Evacuations as Hurricane Matthew Approaches | FWNews

Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba Call for Evacuations as Hurricane Matthew Approaches Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba Call for Evacuations as Hurricane Matthew Approaches Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba Call for Evacuations as Hurricane Matthew Approaches Heavy rains from the outer bands of Hurricane Matthew pelted Jamaica and Haiti Monday, flooding streets and sending many people to emergency shelters as the Category 4 storm moved through the Caribbean. Two deaths were reported in Haiti, bringing the total attributed to Matthew to at least four. Haiti's poverty-ravaged southwestern coast took the brunt of the storm heading into Tuesday morning, where 230 kilometer-per-hour winds and heavy rains forced the evacuation of around 2,000 people in the Grand Sud region Monday night. Between 100,000 and 500,000 Haitian residents face serious flooding risks because the unregulated shantytowns where they live are set up in dangerous places. Forecasters predict Matthew could drop up to 40 inches of rain on some parts of Haiti, elevating the possibility of deadly mudslides and flooding the most densely populated areas. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the center of the storm would pass over Haiti's southwestern tip before heading for eastern Cuba Tuesday. Jamaica, where some 150,000 people could be displaced due to the impact of the hurricane and Haiti, where about 2 million are expected to be affected, continue to encourage residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate to safer areas. Probable path of Hurricane Matthew. Probable path of Hurricane Matthew. United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams have arrived in both countries to support national preparedness efforts with pre-positioning of relief supplies and emergency resources. Hundreds of people were airlifted out of the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba ahead of the storm. The U.S. Navy says people staying at the base and military detention center on the eastern end of Cuba are being told to take shelter, and a mandatory evacuation of non-essential personnel was put into effect. Scores of prisoners are still held at the detention center and about 5,500 people live on the base. The United States Agency for International Development issued a statement saying officials are prepared to "assist governments and communities in the region." The agency has deployed two disaster response teams to Haiti and Jamaica. Families settle into their seats aboard an aircraft for evacuation from Guantanamo Bay ahead of Hurricane Matthew, Oct. 2, 2016. Families settle into their seats aboard an aircraft for evacuation from Guantanamo Bay ahead of Hurricane Matthew, Oct. 2, 2016. "These disaster experts are actively monitoring the storm's track in real time and communicating with officials in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, and Belize to coordinate relief efforts, if requested," the statement said. Matthew is the strongest hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea since Felix in 2007. Emergency relief supplies including shelter materials, blankets, hygiene kits, household items and water purification equipment are available for the communities affected by the storm. Haiti's interior minister Francois Anick Joseph said officials are "very worried" by the situation, adding that 1,300 shelters had been set up to assist hundreds of thousands of people. "We want everybody to know that it is real," he said. Still, almost 2,000 people refuse to leave their homes and the minister said the government is ready to use force if needed. Haiti has been evacuating residents from exposed sandy islands off the southern coast. The Cuban government has declared a state of emergency in the island nation's five eastern provinces. In the Jamaican capital, Kingston, residents have bought enough food for the coming days, but the prime minister said some people will most likely ignore evacuation orders. Some streets have already flooded. "Some persons will resist, so what we're trying to do is get our citizens to comply in their own interest, which would certainly save resources having to be deployed in a time of emergency when it will be difficult to respond," Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. Meteorologists have said it is possible the hurricane will eventually track along or near the U.S. east coast, brushing Florida, but it is still too early to tell. Weather forecasters predict rainfall of 25 to 38 centimeters with isolated amounts of more than 63 centimeters across Jamaica and southwestern Haiti. Forecasters say a storm surge and large waves could raise water levels in some areas by more than three meters, and possibly nearly five meters in the central and southeastern Bahamas. for more please visit: Our website: www.demofw.com FB Page: facebook.com/Video-World-1399562160338245/ Google+: plus.google.com/u/2/116070848528849084543 Twitter: twitter.com/video_world777 Related Keywords: Haitians flee homes as Hurricane Matthew hits Hurricane Matthew