Hurricane Charley has pummeled western Cuba on its path to the densely populated Florida coast.
Charley brought winds of 105 mph and a 10- to 14-foot storm surge when it hit Cuba's southern coast at midnight near the fishing village of Guanimar.
Hurricane Charley is shown in a satellite image over Cuba yesterday
The hurricane crossed Cuba at its narrowest point, losing some intensity as it headed for the north coast at Baracoa, just west of Havana. The capital city and its province endured the storm in darkness, as authorities cut off power to avoid electrical accidents.
Experts said Charley would regain strength and become a "major" hurricane as it headed out over the Florida Straits on a path toward the fragile Florida Keys island chain and the densely populated St. Petersburg-Tampa area.
Emergency officials on Thursday ordered more than 600,000 people in western Florida to leave seaside dwellings, mobile homes and low-lying areas before Charley's arrival.
Florida Governor Mr Jeb Bush said two million people could be affected if Charley pounds the tourist resort island of Key West and then curves into Florida's west coast. In total, 6.5 million Americans lay in the storm's potential path, the US Census Bureau said.
Racing winds and heavy rainfall had scattered debris in the empty streets of Havana, where residents left work at midday to form long lines to buy food and water and rush home to secure their houses.
Cuban authorities yesterday evacuated 149,000 people from flood-prone areas of western Cuba and precarious colonial-era buildings in danger of collapse in downtown Havana. About 1,300 tourists were flown out of Key Largo off the south coast. Havana's airport was closed and flights diverted to the seaside resort of Varadero.