Idalia may hit Florida as hurricane

Dark clouds are seen due to the tropical storm Idalia in Havana. Pic/AFP

Tropical Storm Idalia was near the coast of Cuba Monday on a potential track to come ashore as a hurricane in the southern US, the National Hurricane Center said.

At 4 am CDT on Monday, the storm was about 200 km off the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 100 kmph. The storm was stationary at the time, the hurricane center said. The center's update also included a hurricane advisory for the Cuban province of Pinar Del Rio.

Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane on Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico and then curve northeast toward the west coast of Florida.

Idalia could approach Florida on Wednesday with winds of up to 160 kmph, according to the Hurricane Center. That would make it a Category 2 hurricane.

Typhoon Saola lashes Philippines

A typhoon dumped heavy rain in the northern Philippines but didn't make landfall as it moved toward southern Taiwan and China's south coast. Over 2,300 people were displaced.

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