Hurricane Gustav Strengthens To Category 4

New Orleans, LA (AHN) - Hurricane Gustav has strengthened off western Cuba to a Category 4 storm and is expected to pass over Cuba Saturday as it prepares to approach the Louisiana Gulf coast this week.

U.S. National Hurricane Center forecasters said that it may become the strongest and largest storm to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast since Katrina and Rita struck three years ago.

The center had earlier Saturday declared Gustav a Category 3 hurricane as it packed winds of almost 120 miles per hour. A Category 4 storm packs winds of 131 to 155 miles per hour and can cause significant damage.

Forecasters had expected the hurricane to become a Category 4 before striking Cuba Saturday.

People are in the process of being evacuated in New Orleans as the city prepares to deploy rescue workers in case of emergencies.

The storm is expected to hit the state's coast by Monday before it enters Texas by Tuesday. Almost two million people are at risk in the southern region of Louisiana.

Gustav has killed 78 people in the Caribbean and it is considered as the second major hurricane of the Atlantic season after Bertha in July.

Meanwhile, the hurricane center also is monitoring Tropical Storm Hanna, which was located around 240 miles off San Juan, Puerto Rico.

According to the Miami, Florida headquartered National Hurricane Center, Tropical Storm Hanna was moving west at 12 mph as of 5 a.m.