Western Cuba on alert for Hurricane Milton: Winds over 50 km/h and flooding are expected.

The western region of Cuba is on alert due to the proximity of the powerful hurricane Milton, which will bring winds exceeding 50 km/h and flooding to the island.

According to the latest report from the Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET), issued at 12:00 noon on October 8, the hurricane, which has decreased in intensity to category four on the Saffir-Simpson scale, has maximum sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour and higher gusts.

Milton is located about 365 kilometers west-northwest of Cape San Antonio, the western tip of Cuba, and is moving east-northeast at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

In the coming hours, the system is expected to tilt its trajectory towards the northeast, approaching the west coast of the Florida peninsula.

However, as Milton progresses, the western region of Cuba experiences sustained winds from the south to the southwest at speeds between 20 and 35 kilometers per hour, which will gradually increase to values between 35 and 50 kilometers per hour, accompanied by stronger gusts, the information indicates.

This situation will mainly affect the provinces from Pinar del Río to Mayabeque, it details.

INSMET warns about the possibility of strong swells on the southern coast of the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Río, with coastal flooding ranging from light to moderate from Pinar del Río to Mayabeque, including the Isle of Youth.

By Wednesday, moderate flooding is expected on the northwestern coast, also affecting the Havana seawall.

The note explains that the hurricane's feeder bands will generate rain and showers in the western part of the country, some of which could be intense in certain areas throughout the day.

Authorities urge the population to stay informed and take the necessary measures to protect themselves against the possible arrival of dangerous weather conditions, and added that they will issue another report at 6:00 pm this Tuesday.

Milton has already wreaked havoc in Cuba, with the first floods reported in Surgidero de Batabanó, in the province of Mayabeque.