Cuba felt the power of Tropical Storm Fay on Sunday after its deadly rake over Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Saturday, where at least five people were killed.

Fay’s winds were at 50 MPH early Sunday evening with higher gusts reported. Forecasters say the storm has the capacity to become a hurricane over the next 24 hours.

In the U.S., Key West, Florida officials are taking no chances and on Sunday ordered all tourists to evacuate, while also setting up four shelters that will open Sunday night for area residents. Emergency operations centers are also opening in other parts of Florida.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Florida’s west coast up to Tarpon Springs, for the Florida Keys from south of Ocean Reef to Key West, and includes the Dry Tortugas and Florida Bay.

In Cuba, a Hurricane Watch was in effect early Sunday evening for several Cuban provinces from La Habana to Sancti Spiritus, while Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud were under a Tropical Storm warning. The Cayman Islands was under a Tropical Storm Watch.

Forecasters are also recommending those in the Florida Peninsula, the northwestern Bahamas, and the eastern Gulf of Mexico to monitor the storm.

At 5:00 EDT Fay’s center was 270 miles south of Havana, moving to the west-northwest at 15 MPH. The storm is expected to turn toward the northwest Sunday night, and northward on Monday or Monday night. The storm is expected to cross western Cuba overnight or Monday morning, then whirl closer to the Florida Keys during Monday afternoon and evening.

Photo courtesy: National Hurricane Center