Hurricane Ian hits Cuba as Category 3 storm

HAVANA: Hurricane Ian made landfall in western Cuba early on Tuesday, with the storm prompting mass evacuations and fears it will bring widespread destruction as it heads for the US state of Florida.

"Ian is already over Cuban territory," said a forecaster from the country’s Institute of Meteorology in a special broadcast on state television. "The outer wall of the storm is on the coast of the province of Pinar del Rio." About 38,000 people had been evacuated from their homes in the province, which was bearing the brunt of the storm, local authorities said.