Miami, Florida – Hurricane Oscar has made its presence known as it has made landfall in eastern Cuba, an island that has been facing a massive power outage. The storm had previously struck the southeastern Bahamas earlier on Sunday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
The center, located in Miami, reported that the storm’s center reached the Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening. With maximum sustained winds reaching up to 130 km/h (80 mph), the system is expected to move across eastern Cuba throughout Sunday night and into Monday. Forecasters have predicted that eastern Cuba could experience between 15.2 to 30.5 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain through early Wednesday, with some isolated areas receiving up to 45.72 centimeters (18 inches). The center also warned of a possible storm surge of up to 0.91 meters (3 feet) in some areas of Cuba’s north shore.
As the storm progresses, Oscar is expected to weaken over eastern Cuba before making a turn to the northeast and approaching the central Bahamas on Tuesday, according to the center.
Currently, the storm’s center is located about 10 kilometers (5 miles) east-southeast of Baracoa and about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east-northeast of Guantanamo. It is moving at a speed of 11 km/h (7 mph) in a west-southwest direction.
Earlier on Sunday, Oscar had made landfall on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas. The storm’s arrival had been predicted to bring along a dangerous storm surge, which could potentially lead to significant coastal flooding in the southeastern Bahamas. Forecasters had also predicted that the area could receive between 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) of rainfall, with some isolated areas receiving up to 15.2 centimeters (6 inches).
The arrival of Hurricane Oscar comes at a time when Cuba is still trying to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years. The blackout had left millions without power for two days last week, and although some electrical service has been restored, the island is still facing difficulties.
Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center has expressed surprise at Oscar’s sudden transformation into a hurricane on Saturday. “Unfortunately, the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin said.
In addition to Hurricane Oscar, Tropical Storm Nadine had also formed off the southern coast of Mexico in the Caribbean. However, it quickly degenerated into a tropical depression as it moved over land.
As we continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Oscar, it is important to stay safe and take necessary precautions. The storm has the potential to cause significant damage, and it is crucial to follow any evacuation orders or safety guidelines issued by local authorities.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Cuba, the Bahamas, and all those who may be affected by this powerful storm. Let us come together and support each other during this challenging time. Stay safe and stay strong.
