MIAMI -- The hurricane watch for the Florida Keys has been dropped as Hurricane Ike continues its trek west through Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico.
On Monday, the evacuation order for the Keys was lifted as the storm moved far enough away that the area would avoid a direct hit.
However, the Keys will still get heavy rain bands and some strong winds, and the state is asking anyone who did leave to wait until Wednesday to go home.
"So far so good with this storm, but we still have a little ways to go,” said Craig Futage, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “And again people just follow what the governor says ‘be safe, be smart, be a survivor.’ We'll get through this. We'll do OK if people will heed that advice."
People are also being urged to stay indoors. Hospitals in the Keys remain closed.
Gulf Coast Residents Prepare For Ike
Elsewhere in the Gulf Coast states, people are anxiously watching Hurricane Ike's path.
If the current forecast holds, Texas could be in line for a direct hit by this weekend.
On Monday, dozens of buses rolled out in preparations for possible evacuations along the coast of the Lone Star State.
Meanwhile, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said while it's too early to be evacuating, it is time to begin preparations.
He is urging people to start stockpiling food, water, batteries and other supplies.
Ike Blamed On 4 Deaths In Cuba
The Cuban government is now blaming Hurricane Ike for four deaths.
State television reported Monday two men died while removing an antenna before Ike's arrival.
Another man died when a tree fell on his house and knocked down a wall, and a woman died when the roof of her house collapsed.
Hurricane Ike pounded Cuba for a second straight day -- ravaging homes, flooding streets and forcing more than a million people to evacuate to higher ground.
Ike Kills 73 In Haiti
Hurricane Ike claimed 73 lives in Haiti as heavy rains and flooding whipped through the island, which was already damaged from two other storms in the last month.
The country's overall death toll from recent storms is over 260.
Track the paths of Ike with our Hurricane Tracker and downloadable map, available at the News 13 Hurricane Center.
Need help getting ready for a hurricane? News 13 on Demand, Bright House Networks Digital Cable Channel 313, has a Hurricane Center filled with vital information on what you can do to prepare for a storm. In the Severe Weather section, News 13's meteorologists show you how to be safe when a storm strikes.
Comment on this story.