HAVANA (AP) – A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta sliced across Cuba on Sunday and was aimed at the southern tip of Florida, where officials braced for a storm that could to hit at hurricane force after leaving scores of dead and over 100 missing in Mexico and Central America.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said declared hurricane and storm surge warnings for the Keys from Ocean Reef to the Dry Tortugas, including Florida Bay, with the storm expected to reach that area by Sunday night or early Monday.
Florida officials closed beaches, ports and COVID testing sites, shut down public transportation and urged residents to stay off the street. Several shelters also opened in Miami and the Florida Keys for residents in mobile homes and low lying areas.
Broward County also shut down in-person schooling Monday and Miami seemed poised to do the same.
Eta had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph) at midday Sunday and it was centered north of Cuba, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southeast of Marathon, Florida, and about 170 miles (275 kilometers) south-southeast of Miami. It was moving toward the north-northwest at 17 mph (28 kph).