Hurricane Ivan threatens Cuba

HURRICANE Ivan, one of the fiercest Atlantic storms recorded, grew even more powerful and headed toward Cuba yesterday after pummelling the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Grenada, killing at least 65 on a route that could take it to the US coast.

The monster strengthened to near 160mph, tore off roofs and sent sea water surging over the Caymans, a low-lying British territory and offshore finance centre and home to 45,000.

Now a rare and deadly Category 5 hurricane, Ivan was expected to pass near the far west of Cuba overnight, forecasters said. They warned of a 20-foot to 25-foot storm surge of seawater in Cuba, east of Ivan’s centre, if it were to make landfall in western Cuba.