2005-11-20,+Cuba+Evacuating+in+Preparation+for+Wilma

News on Cuba and Latin America Wednesday, October 19 2005**
 * BRIDGES

NEWS—CUBA—NEWS = Cuba Evacuating Massively in Preparation for Wilma =

Havana, Oct 19 (Prensa Latina) Over 9,000 people have so farbeen evacuated from eastern Cuba, in a warning phase for category 5 Hurricane Wilma, and it more will be evacuated if the civil protection program warning extends to other provinces.

Guantanamo Province tops the list with 1,573 people evacuated, followed by Santiago de Cuba (2,093), and Granma (1,408), according to the National Civil Defense Council.

At noon Wednesday Cuba's Meteorological Institute reported Wilma continuing at Saffir Simpson Scale Category 5, with maximum sstained winds at 173 mph, with higher gusts. Its central pressure continued descending and was at 882 hectoPascal.

Wilma is moving at a bit less than 7 mph east-northeast from her position 323 miles southeast of Cozumel, Yucatan and 285 miles south of the Isle of Youth, Cuba..

Forecasts indicate it will keep this course in the next 12 to 24 hours leaning north east at similar speed. The alert phase has been activated for Pinar del Rio, Havana Province, Havana, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth.

The central provinces of Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus are on the informative phase.

The population has been advised to pay close attention to the weather forecasts and abide by Civil Defense regulations.

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