Hurricane Matthew Slams Into Haiti, Threatens Florida

Hurricane Matthew roared ashore in Haiti early Tuesday, with Cuba and the U.S. in its trajectory. On Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of Haitians huddled in evacuation shelters as 145 mile per hour winds lashed the impoverished island nation, killing at least three people and prompting cruise ships to change course. The governors of Florida and North Carolina declared a state of emergency in preparation for the storm to hit the United States. “If Hurricane Matthew directly impacts Florida, there could be massive destruction which we haven’t seen since Hurricane Andrew devastated Miami-Dade County in 1992,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement. “That is why we cannot delay and must prepare for direct impact now.” As much as 40 inches of rain could fall on Haiti, with 20 inches dropping on Cuba. Seven hundred family members of military personnel who are stationed at Guantanamo Bay have been airlifted to Florida as a precaution. The storm is likely to hit Florida itself on Thursday night.