Thousands flee as hurricane threatens Cuba

More than 100,000 people have fled their homes as Hurricane Lili began pounding western Cuba with heavy rain today.

The storm has killed seven people in Jamaica and St Vincent and ripped roofs off buildings in the wealthy Cayman Islands.

Lili was picking up speed and its violent winds were gaining strength as it approached Cuba, whipping up battering waves up to 10ft higher than normal, the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami warned.

It was upgraded from a tropical storm yesterday as its winds topped 74mph.

Cubana Airlines halted its domestic and international flights and the train service between Havana and the provincial capital Pinar del Rio was suspended ahead of the heavy rains expected later today.

Authorities in western Cuba asked people in low-lying areas or near the coast to move in with relatives or friends in safer areas.

They said 127,000 people had been evacuated, including 3,715 people forced from their homes by Hurricane Isidore 10 days ago.