Severe weather: Hurricane Ian hits Cuba

Cuban news agency ACN reported that about 40 percent of customers of the local utility in Pinar del Rio are without electricity. Strong storms had damaged the lines and the routes of the power poles.

Florida braces for storm surge

Weather experts expect Ian to set a course for Cuba toward the coast of Florida in the United States, until it reaches 4 degrees. There they warn of storms from Wednesday. The danger is greater between Fort Myers and Tampa. Strong hurricane winds are expected to begin late Tuesday evening (local time). The governor of the southeastern US state, Ron DeSantis, had already declared a state of emergency at the weekend as a precaution and called on residents to take precautions.

The hurricane could also upset the plan to launch the next crew to the International Space Station. October 3 is still being targeted as the launch date, Kathy Lueders, chief of manned spaceflight at NASA, said Monday. “But we also know we have to work our way through the weather here at the Kennedy Space Center.” She said the next possible alternative dates are October 4 or October 5.