Hurricane Ike heads for the Gulf

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Hurricane Ike moved away from Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico late Tuesday - now a category one hurricane that could strengthen to a category three.

Forecasters worried that Ike could regain power in the Gulf's warm waters - this after the storm ripped across Cuba.

Ike hit the communist island on Sunday - where it moved from east to west - destroying homes - topping telephone lines and bringing down trees.

Resident Bernardo Martin:

SOUNDBITE: Resident Bernardo Martin saying (Spanish):

"People have left their homes because their tin roof tops were destroyed by the wind."

On Tuesday, heavy rains continued in Cuba - even as Ike headed northwest.

Out in the open waters - the storm brought on winds reaching 75-miles-per hour.

Forecasters have projected the storm's most like projected path directs it towards the middle of the Texas coast - dangerously close to the offshore oil patch...that provides a quarter of U.S. oil.

Sarah Irwin, Reuters.