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Hurricane Gustav to Hit Haiti

Expected to make landfall later today

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 26, 2008 7:48 AM CDT

(Newser) – Hurricane Gustav is expected to make landfall in Haiti later today, Bloomberg reports, buffeting a country already hard hit by Tropical Storm Fay earlier this month. Gustav was upgraded from a tropical storm earlier this morning, after strengthening over the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center said that preparations should “be rushed to completion,” warning of possible “life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.”

Gustav formed quickly yesterday, and is expected to strengthen into a major storm. It may be a Category 2 by the time it hits Haiti, and has the potential to reach Category 3 later in the week. After Haiti, it is expected to pass between Cuba and Jamaica, and then over the western tip of Cuba. "It doesn't look like it'll reach the Gulf of Mexico until the weekend or early next week," one watcher said.  "It may disrupt the production of oil next week.''

A woman uses a rain jacket to keep dry as she walks through rain caused by Tropical Strom Gustav in Port-au-Prince, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.
A woman uses a rain jacket to keep dry as she walks through rain caused by Tropical Strom Gustav in Port-au-Prince, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
A woman covers herself from the rain at a bus station in Port-au-Prince, Aug. 25, 2008.  Haitians were told to prepare for evacuations as Tropical Storm Gustav formed quickly Monday in the Caribbean.
A woman covers herself from the rain at a bus station in Port-au-Prince, Aug. 25, 2008. Haitians were told to prepare for evacuations as Tropical Storm Gustav formed quickly Monday in the Caribbean.   (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
A girl looks through a bus window as it rains in Port-au-Prince, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008.  Haitians were told to prepare for evacuations as Tropical Storm Gustav formed quickly Monday in the Caribbean.
A girl looks through a bus window as it rains in Port-au-Prince, Monday, Aug. 25, 2008. Haitians were told to prepare for evacuations as Tropical Storm Gustav formed quickly Monday in the Caribbean.   (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
A false-color image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made at 5:15am EDT Tuesday Aug. 26, 2008 shows Hurricane Gustav as it approaches the southern coast of Haiti.
A false-color image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made at 5:15am EDT Tuesday Aug. 26, 2008 shows Hurricane Gustav as it approaches the southern coast of Haiti.   (AP Photo)
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