RESIDENTS of western Cuba awoke today to an official hurricane alert, declared in anticipation of the powerful Hurricane Wilma, which has reached the maximum of Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale in record time.

In an 06:00 (local time) report, the Cuban Institute of Meteorology stated that Hurricane Wilma had intensified and that its maximum sustained winds had reached 280 kilometers per hour, with stronger gusts.

Its central pressure had dropped to 884 hectoPascal, making it a Category 5, the report said.

At 6 a.m, its center was estimated to be at 17.2 degrees latitude north and 82.6 degrees longitude west, a position that located it about 143 kilometers south-southeast of the Grand Cayman Islands in the western Caribbean Sea and about 590 kilometers southeast of Cozumel.

As a result, Cuba’s National Civil Defense authorities have declared a hurricane alert for the provinces of Pinar del Río, Havana, City of Havana, Matanzas and the special municipality of the Isle of Youth (a small islet south of the region).

The Civil Defense also declared an Informative Stage for the provinces of Cienfuegos, Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus, in central Cuba.

According to its forecast trajectory, within 48 to 72 hours, the hurricane could pass very close to Cuba’s western tip and even touch land at some point in that region.

In line with its experience of these storms, the country has adopted the necessary measures to guarantee the people’s safety and minimize damages to the economy.

Evacuation plans went into operation Tuesday, with a special emphasis on families who live in areas below the levels of the country’s reservoirs, coastal zones and areas prone to flooding.

Measures adopted include transferring students from boarding schools to their homes and suspending classes, as audiovisual and other school equipment was stored for protection and shelters for evacuees were being prepared in school facilities.

In agriculture and other industries, measures were being taken to minimize losses in the event of the hurricane’s passing.

In eastern Cuba, rain associated with Wilma’s outer bands has caused considerable flooding, river overflows, damage to crops and effects on the economic and housing infrastructure.

In several provinces, a significant number of individuals have been evacuated to shelters and to the homes of neighbors and friends.