Cuba evacuates

Officials in Cuba have evacuated about 5,000 people from vulnerable areas as the country prepares for the arrival of Tropical Storm Gustav.



The system has been weakening, but forecasters predict it will regain strength as it moves toward Cuba and Jamaica.



News agency, Prensa Latina, said the Cuban Civil Defence activated its orientation, surveillance and evacuation mechanisms on Monday, when Gustav first appeared as the seventh tropical storm of the season.



It added that 5,000 have already been evacuated from the eastern province of Granma.



Prensa Latina said that although the eastern regions of the country are under the most threat, the central part of the island has also been preparing to evacuate people and resources if there are any floods.



Most of the dams in the Cuba’s five eastern provinces are also said to be under surveillance by authorities since there is a risk of overflowing.



The news agency also reported that ships have been taken to secure docks and that the Education Minister has given the assurance that school supplies for the start of the new school term have been secured.



Thousands of heads of cattle have also been taken to secure ground and crops harvested.