Hurricane Ike loomed over this low-lying island chain Saturday as a dangerous Category 3 storm, prompting thousands of people to evacuate while those staying behind hunkered down and hoped for the best, AP reported. As the massive gray wall of clouds approached from the east, people poured into the main supermarket in Providenciales, expecting that power would be knocked out and that food would suddenly become scarce. Shopkeepers and homeowners covered windows with plywood. Boats were hauled ashore or secured with multiple anchors.
