Being from Cuba I have a great experience in hurricanes, cyclones and tropical storms. Every year, at least one crosses the island, usually two or three.

Photo sent by my mom, from Cuba yesterday while Irma was passing

How common they are even there was a time when some friends and I had a group to "hunt" hurricanes and reach the eye (center of the hurricane). If you have never been in the eye of a hurricane (I imagine many do not), it is the quietest area, of course without rainfall and, if it is daytime, more clear and sunny than you can find. Amazing!
This is one thing I do not advise to do as it can be very dangerous to get to the eye and of course after leave it.

Another photo sent by my mom, from Cuba yesterday while Irma was passing

This has been to make it clear that I know something about hurricanes, what should and should not be done and how dangerous they can become. I do not know if praying helps a lot but what you can do for your relatives and friends who live in the areas where the hurricane will happen is to warn them not to leave and stay home until the storm is over (if they do not live in an area of possible floods). This is the most common way to end up dead when a hurricane passes, to leave the house. The second is by the fall of the houses. This second reason, of course, depends on the quality of the houses but the first, can be avoided very easily. In Cuba, there are usually many property damage but few deaths and are usually people who left when the storm was passing.
Like us when we hunted hurricanes, very stupid thing to do ... but at that time was the best.😊

I am going to give you an example that I imagine speak for itself. I personally, and with my background, I would never approach the sea in the middle of a hurricane. 😧
No one dies in the video, do not worry

So do not just pray for your families but also warn not to leave the house or make crap like these!

@juanmiguelsalas