Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), 29 October (LaPresse/AP) – Hurricane Melissa has hit eastern Cuba, where it is expected to make landfall in the morning as a severe storm. According to the official newspaper Granma, Cuban authorities have evacuated more than 700,000 people, and meteorologists have predicted that the Category 4 storm will cause catastrophic damage to Santiago de Cuba and the surrounding areas. A hurricane warning is in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas, as well as the south-eastern and central Bahamas. A hurricane advisory is also in effect for Bermuda.