Hurricane Elsa Moves North Toward US... 180,000 Evacuate in Cuba

Maximum Wind Speed 100 km/h... Moving North Toward the Florida Strait

The first Atlantic hurricane of the year, Elsa, passed through Cuba (photo), causing at least three deaths and prompting the evacuation of 180,000 residents. Photo by AFP/ Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The first Atlantic hurricane of the year, Elsa, is moving north through the Florida Straits after passing southern Cuba on the night of the 4th (local time).

On the 3rd, Elsa was downgraded from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm, but its strength has since increased again, according to the Associated Press.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Elsa was moving northwest at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on the 4th, located 270 miles (440 km) southeast of Havana, Cuba.

The NHC added that Elsa is expected to weaken gradually after passing through central Cuba, but it could strengthen again while passing through the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits, urging caution.

Currently, Elsa's maximum wind speed is 65 miles per hour (100 km/h), while a hurricane is classified when maximum wind speeds reach 75 miles per hour (121 km/h).

Earlier, Cuban authorities evacuated 180,000 people in preparation for heavy rains. Most residents took shelter with relatives or in government evacuation centers, but hundreds living in mountainous areas had to hide in caves.

A state of emergency has been declared in 15 counties in Florida. Among them is Miami-Dade County, where part of an apartment building collapsed last month. Authorities decided to demolish the remaining sections due to increased concerns about further collapse as Elsa approaches.

The NHC forecasts that Elsa will pass through southern Florida on the morning of the 6th local time.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post pointed out the impact of climate change, reporting that the likelihood of tropical storms developing into Category 3 hurricanes has increased by 8% every decade due to global warming.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.