Hurricane Ian to bring devastating winds to Cuba

A man collects empty cans at the seafront ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian in Havana, Cuba, September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

HAVANA (Reuters) -Hurricane Ian is expected to hammer western Cuba late in the day with heavy winds and rain and a potentially life-threatening storm surge after strengthening overnight from a tropical storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday.

The fast-growing storm is located about 100 miles (160 km) west of Grand Cayman, barreling northwest toward Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 km per hour), making it a Category 1 hurricane on a five-step scale.