Ike regains strength after leaving Cuba

MIAMI, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Hurricane Ike moved into the Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday, regaining some strength after battering Cuba.

The storm could become a major hurricane again as it heads toward Texas, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Its predicted track would put it near the coast by Friday evening.

An Air Force hurricane hunter recorded winds approaching 80 mph, the hurricane center said in its 11 p.m. EDT advisory. A few hours earlier, wind speeds topped out at 75 mph.

The storm's center was 120 miles west of Havana and it was moving west-northwest at about 9 mph.

In Cuba, about 1.3 million people were evacuated, and Ike caused at least four deaths, the Los Angeles Times reported. The storm has taken at least 80 lives, most of them in Haiti.

Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal told KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, Texas, that evacuation buses and ambulances were en route to Beeville, Texas, to help evacuate people, particularly those with special needs, the TV station reported.

The state has made arrangements to have water, ice and ready-to-eat-meals on standby if Ike strikes.

School officials in Aransas County have canceled classes for the remainder of the week as a precaution.

In addition, the Padre Island National Seashore has been closed.