Hurricane Ivan continued to slam the Caribbean on Sunday, killing at least 60 people so far.  

Ivan, the fourth major hurricane of the Atlantic season, has slammed Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and Cayman Islands, killing at least 60. It is expected to make a direct hit on western Cuba on Monday before moving into the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.

Florida of the United States and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico appeared to be Ivan's next targets. Governments of the two countries have posted storm warnings for residents and tourists in the two regions.

Cuba says ready to face Ivan

In Cuba, a country ravaged by Hurricane Charley last month, about 800,000 people of the country's 11.2 million population had been evacuated from coastal areas and dangerous structures by Sunday morning, the official Cuban news agency Prensa Latina reported.

Cuban President Fidel Castro Ruz said in a TV address on Saturday night that Cuba is ready to face the hurricane and asked the Cubans to "show more discipline than ever to preserve the lives and health of our people."

The hurricane, called "Ivan the Terrible" by the Cubans, will be the most powerful storm to threaten Cuba in living memory.

Although this year's tobacco planting has not begun and last year's leaves are secure, tobacco planters worried Ivan may destroy curing sheds.

Florida, Mexico issue warnings

In Florida, local government issued a tropical storm watch, and about 80,000 local residents and tourists had been evacuated from the 100-km island chain of the Florida Keys.

Last week's Hurricane Frances and last month's Hurricane Charley killed 43 people in Florida. If Ivan hits the region, it will be the first time in four decades that Florida was struck by three storms during one hurricane season.

Mexico issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for its Caribbean coast. Hundreds of fishing settlements abandoned the Holbox Island and arrived in the Yucatan Peninsula. Traffic for small crafts was suspended while ferries are still in operation off the peninsula.

The famous resort city of Cancun opened shelters, and its airport remained open.

Jamaica announces curfew in capital, Montego Bay

Jamaican Prime Minister Percival Noel James Patterson on Sunday announced curfew will be enforced in the capital city of Kingston and the country's second largest city of Montego Bay to secure social stability and prevent crimes as the electricity supply destroyed by Ivan will not be resumed shortly.

At least 14 were killed in Ivan that landed the country on Saturday, Patterson said.

At least 40 roads in the country were blocked and looting that erupted during the storm appeared to be under control, Jamaica's disaster and emergency management service said.

Police arrested 28 people and shot two men dead in the battles against looting, local media reported.

Since Jamaica was saved from a direct hit, it did not suffered as much as Grenada did where the hurricane left widespread destruction and killed at least 34.

Cayman Islands suffer 240-kph winds

Ivan hit the Cayman Islands, the British territory, on Sunday with ferocious 240-kph winds and torrential rains.

The airport on the Grand Cayman, the largest of the three islands that comprise the territory, was flooded and trees were wrenched from their roots. Electricity and water supplies were cut before the storm to avoid damages to plants.

There is no immediate report on the casualties and loss of property in the Cayman Islands.

(Xinhua News Agency September 13, 2004)