Hurricane Matthew: ‘Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides’ expected

Hurricane Matthew is expected to dump torrential rainfall on Jamaica and Haiti on Sunday evening before making landfall Monday.

“This rainfall will produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” the National Weather Service said Sunday. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”

A direct hit on Haiti could be disastrous, with much of the country’s infrastructure still weak after the 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people. Haiti is also recovering from a cholera outbreak after the quake that killed another 10,000.

“Water systems are at risk as hurricane #Matthew’s approaching,” physician and researcher Keddy Moise tweeted. “Months of work fighting cholera could be lost.”

The storm could also be brutal for Cuba, where many houses appear too weak to withstand a hurricane, CNN’s Patrick Oppmann said Sunday.

“Just driving through Santiago today, I was struck by the number of people living in housing that looks like it’s hundreds of years old,” Oppmann said. “Wooden roofs, very old housing that looks like it could blow away in a heavy rainstorm — not to mention a Category 4 storm.”

As for the United States, “it is too early to determine if Matthew will directly impact the US,” the National Weather Service said Sunday. “But this dangerous storm will be closely monitored.”

Guantanamo Bay employees evacuated

IBC Airways has canceled all flights Monday to and from Guantanamo Bay because of the approaching storm.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines and Fly Jamaica Airways issued travel warnings for their customers, saying change fees may be waived for flights to some destinations.

The US State Department issued a travel warning Sunday, urging citizens in Haiti to leave quickly if they can.

“Given the approaching hurricane, there is limited time available for a safe departure,” the State Department said.

“We recommend US citizens depart Haiti if possible and work with commercial air carriers to leave prior to the arrival of the hurricane. Airports will close once conditions deteriorate and safe travel is not possible. “