Palm trees and warning flags are blown by strong winds brought by the arrival of Hurricane Paloma in George Town, Grand Cayman, Friday. (Joanna Lewis/Associated Press)The rain-soaked Cayman Islands braced on Friday for Hurricane Paloma, a strengthening storm expected to make landfall within hours.

Paloma grew into a Category 3 storm Friday evening with winds near 185 km/h, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Centre in Miami. It said the storm is expected to keep growing as it nears the affluent British territory.

The government of the tiny chain of Caribbean islands has drawn up evacuation plans for residents in low-lying areas and coastal regions.

"We have asked everybody to come off the streets and to be home and safe right now," said hazard management director Barbara Carby.

The government has also ordered the airport closed, Tourism Minister Charles Clifford said Friday, adding that extra flights were added Thursday for those looking to leave.

"I hope I'm right, but I don't think this will be a major event," said Clifford.

The centre of the storm was about 50 kilometres south of Grand Cayman, the largest of the islands, at 7 p.m. ET. It is expected to reach Grand Cayman later Friday or early Saturday before hitting the coast of central Cuba by Saturday afternoon, the forecaster said in an advisory.

Still recovering from the havoc wreaked late in the summer by hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Cuba could be hit even harder than the Caymans.

The storm appeared to be en route to the central-eastern city of Camaguey, which was badly battered by Hurricane Ike in September.

Cuban official newspaper Granma said Friday that Paloma poses "a potential danger for the island." A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect for several Cuban provinces.

Cuba's government has deployed the early stages of its civil defence system, advising people in central and eastern parts of the country to be prepared to evacuate should conditions worsen.

With files from the Associated Press