More Than 200,000 Cubans Evacuated Ahead Of Hurricane Charley

HAVANA, Aug 12 (AFP) - More than 200,000 residents and some 2,000 foreign tourists were evacuated from western Cuba as authorities braced Thursday for the arrival of Hurricane Charley, Cuba's Prensa Latina reported.
The western region was on hurricane alert as the violent tropical storm, with its more than 155-kilometer (96-mile) an hour winds, is expected to slam the island Friday between 1:00 am and 3:00 am (0500 GMT and 0700 GMT), according to Cuba's Meteorology Institute.
Civil Defense issued a hurricane alert for the western provinces of Pinar del Rio and Havana and the special municipal district of Isla de la Juventud. Central Cuba was getting hit heavy rain on Thursday.
Electricity will be cut off in the capital Havana, as a safety precaution.
Authorities set up shelters with food and doctors to help evacuees.
Livestock herds were taken uphill, fishermen were called to port and crops were collected while other agricultural work was suspended.
Hurricanes passing through Cuba have killed 18 people since 1985.