US officials placed the Florida Gulf Coast under a hurricane warning on Monday as Tropical Storm Alberto intensified and moved toward the region. The warning covered the coastline from Longboat Key to the Ochlockonee River, and residents in low-lying parts of Levy County were ordered to evacuate.
The National Hurricane Center warned that Alberto could reach hurricane strength within 24 hours and might also generate tornadoes across Florida. Separately, a small aircraft crashed into a Tampa home, killing one person; it remained unclear whether the deteriorating weather was a factor.
Before reaching Florida, Alberto passed over Cuba with winds near 70 miles (115 kilometers) per hour. Cuban authorities had evacuated roughly 28,000 people, and a tornado near Havana injured eight people and destroyed four homes. Maritime and air service to the Isle of Youth was suspended.
The storm arrives as the Gulf region continues to recover from the devastating 2005 hurricane season, which produced 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes. Katrina, the deadliest of those storms, killed about 1,300 people in Louisiana and Mississippi. New Orleans engineers have cautioned that the city's flood barriers may not survive a comparable storm.
Alberto is the first named storm of the 2006 season, which runs through 30 November. Forecasters expect eight to 10 hurricanes this year, with six potentially reaching major status.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.