Haiti<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Concern is mounting in Haiti as Hurricane Matthew edges closer to the Caribbean nation.<br /><br /> Traveling at seven kilometres an hour, the hurricane is bringing 230 kilometre-an-hour winds and heavy rain.<br /><br /> It is the strongest storm to menace the Caribbean since 2007.<br /><br /> The centre is expected to make landfall near southwestern Haiti and Jamaica late on Monday.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> #Matthew 15-25” rain S. Haiti & SW Dominican. Republic – possible isolated 40”. 7-10' storm surge S coast of Haiti. https://t.co/T8bABTBWV8 pic.twitter.com/9BvRFWLzT9— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) October 3, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Vulnerable<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Haiti is vulnerable to disasters due to a combination of weak government and precarious living conditions.<br /><br /> More than 200,000 people were killed when a seven-magnitude earthquake struck in 2010.<br /><br /> The storm comes at a bad time for the country.<br /><br /> A long-delayed election is due to be held next Sunday.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> La Savane<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Hurricane Matthew fears grow in Haiti, some resist shelters https://t.co/X0hVzBCxTb— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) October 3, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> 1,300 shelters have been set up with the capacity to hold 340,000 people.<br /><br /> Haitian officials say around 2,000 residents of the La Savane neighbourhood of Les Cayes are refusing to heed government calls to move out of their homes.<br /><br /> The power has reportedly gone off in the town.<br /><br /> The chief of police says it is impossible to force such a large number of people to leave their homes.<br /><br /> “I would have to arrest all those people and take them to a safe place, this is very difficult,” Luc Pierre told reporters.<br /><br /> The neighbourhood is just a few miles from where the centre of the hurricane is forecast to make landfall.<br /><br /> Some streets are already flooded in Les Cayes, a town of around 70,000 people.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Jamaica<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Officials are scrambling to protect the vulnerable from the worst of the coming storm.<br /><br /> Residents have boarded windows and are stocking up on essentials in supermarkets.<br /><br /> Evacuation operations are underway.<br /><br /> Some have even taken refuge in a network of caves.<br /><br /> Matthew is around 415 kilometres southeast of Kingston on Sunday evening.<br /><br /> The hurricane centre has ranked the storm at Category 4 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity.<br /><br /> It is expected to turn to the north overnight.<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> BETTER SAFE: Woman dismantles seaside home in Port Arthur Lane in Annotto Bay, St Mary before Hurricane Matthew. #MappingMatthew pic.twitter.com/SaoqjJmjXh— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) October 2, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Residents of Purcell Lane in Annotto Bay, St Mary fill sand bags ahead of expected flooding in the coastal town. #MappingMatthew pic.twitter.com/o8iKHZNhIc— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) October 2, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Cuba<br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> Eastern Cuba is expected to feel bands of fierce wind and rain.<br /><br /> Flights have been suspended. <br /><br /> Cuban President Raul Castro is warning that Matthew is stronger than Hurricane Sandy, which devastated Santiag
