Havana, CUBA · Old Havana's cobble-stoned streets and arched courtyards were transformed from a tourist haven into a near ghost town Thursday as the capital city and this island nation of 8 million felt the lash of Hurricane Charley.

As early as 8 a.m. government radio and television stations broadcast hurricane alarms warning residents and tourists to prepare for heavy rains and winds. More than 1,000 people were evacuated from coastal and resort areas of Cuba to inland regions as Charley bore down late Thursday.

Guests packed the lobbies of hotels such as the NH Parque Central, where visitors watched satellite images on a flat screen television for updates.

"I didn't know what was going on until I saw the images on the television," said the Rev. Mitchell Martinez, who was part of a humanitarian group visiting from Vallejo, Calif. "I'm impressed with how calm people seem. Until this afternoon I even saw people swimming in the ocean."

Others said they would simply adapt and move toward the eastern part of the island.

"We just arrived, and we aren't that worried in part because we see people reacting in a very calm fashion," said Lourdes Santiago, 33, who arrived from Spain on Wednesday night. "We are supposed to be here 17 days, and this is my first hurricane, so I don't know what to expect. But it is reassuring to see everyone calm."

By late afternoon heavy rains, fog, thunder and lightening blanketed the capital city and surrounding neighborhoods. Shutters were pulled down and store and restaurant windows taped in preparation for Charley. Long lines formed at gas stations in areas such as Vedado, where cars stretched around the block.

"We've had people coming in not only for gas but for water and little things like that because you don't know how long this can last," said Katia González, a cashier at the Oro Negro gas station in Vedado, where customers bought cases of orange drinks.

For some Cubans the storms promised nothing but heartache as they struggled to prepare their modest homes for strong winds and rains certain to damage belongings poorly protected by crumbling walls.

Regla Jiménez, 39, decided to wait out the storm in her dilapidated home on the outskirts of Old Havana -- a shed with only one wooden shutter to keep the heavy rains out.

"I know this will flood, but I'm hoping I still have time to put the refrigerator up on blocks and move the bed up to something higher," said Jiménez, as her son slept nearby. "I don't want to go to a shelter; this is my home."

Jiménez, a secretary, was among the thousands of Cubans who feared the storm would pummel poorer neighborhoods where wind and floods could wash away eroded old buildings ill-prepared to withstand them.

Cuban government officials began issuing early alerts on Tuesday as part of national action plan that included frequent radio warnings.

By Thursday, government officials were requiring hospital and emergency aid centers to remain fully staffed.

Government officials issued warnings for the western region of Cuba, stretching from the province of Pinar del Río to Havana to Matanzas, home of the famous Varadero beach.

More than 1,000 guests from Cayo Largo del Sur were evacuated to Varadero on Thursday. Some were temporarily housed at the Hotel Internacional, said Ledis Alfronso, an employee at the hotel. Most hotels in that area said they were stocked with food and water for several days.

Evacuations were reported on the Island of Youth, about 65 miles south of the mainland.

On Wednesday motel guests were moved inland, but by early Thursday morning they were taken off the island to the mainland. Late Thursday, Charley skirted around the island, The Associated Press reported.

Evacuations were also reported in Batabanó, a small town of 22,000 people just south of central Havana.

August is high tourist season in some areas of Cuba. Visitors from Canada, Europe and Central America flock to the beaches and the historic areas of Havana. In Old Havana, where tourists normally fill the local cafes and hotels this time of year, many said they were taken by surprise.

"I'm not sure if I should be afraid, worried, or just wait it out because I know very little about hurricanes. We don't have them in Spain," said Alberto Madrone, 33, who sat in the lobby of the Hotel Raquel in old Havana sipping Cuban coffee.

Charley's arrival coincided with Cuban leader Fidel Castro's 78th birthday today. No public celebrations were scheduled. Officials also canceled Cuba's annual hip-hop and rap festival, scheduled for this weekend.

Sandra Hernandez can be reached at shernandez@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4514.

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