Ike evacuations called off in Keys

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) - September 8, 2008 Officials in the Florida Keys are canceling an evacuation order because new forecasts show /*Hurricane Ike*/ veering south and west.

Many tourists fled the Keys this weekend as the storm closed in on the low-lying island chain. But as of 11 a.m. EDT Monday, the storm's track was taking it away from the Keys.

The evacuation orders will expire at noon Monday, and officials would like tourists to wait until Wednesday to come back. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remain in effect for the island chain.

Gulf Coast residents from Florida to Texas are keeping an eye on Ike's unpredictable path. The Category 2 storm has killed at least 58 people in Haiti, and is ripping through Cuba.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)