Hurricane Oscar hit the Bahamas on Sunday morning and is moving toward Cuba, where it is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the island nation.
The storm made landfall on Great Inagua Island, the southernmost district of the Bahamas, with winds peaking at 80 mph, putting it below the Category 1 hurricane level.
It is expected to reach eastern Cuba on Sunday afternoon, bringing with it about four inches of rain and possibly raising ocean levels by four feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“The heavy rains falling in the rugged terrain of southeastern Cuba raise serious concerns about major flash floods, as well as landslides and rockfalls,” he said. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter.
Hurricane Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua Island, the southernmost district of the Bahamas, on Sunday morning, with winds peaking at 80 mph.
The hurricane is expected to bring about ten inches of rain and possibly raise ocean levels by four feet in eastern Cuba.
“Unfortunately, the combination of these factors may result in a humanitarian crisis in some parts of southeastern Cuba if a more intense Oscar passes close to or even makes landfall in Cuba.”
Current predictions were that the storm could weaken once it reaches Cuba and move across the island through Monday before accelerating northeastward through the central Bahamas on Tuesday.
TO message notice It was released at 5 a.m. ET on Sunday by the National Hurricane Center and said heavy rains from Hurricane Oscar will cause flash flooding in areas of eastern Cuba, along with possible landslides through Tuesday.
But the storm is not expected to hit Florida, much to the state’s relief after being decimated by hurricanes Helene and Milton in consecutive weeks.
Tropical Storm Nadine also made landfall Saturday morning in Belize City around 11 a.m. with winds around 60 mph, according to fox 35.
Oscar is the 15th named storm in the Atlantic this hurricane season. Since before the update on the hurricane’s path, Cuba has been dealing with widespread blackouts due to problems with its electrical grid.
It is expected to reach eastern Cuba on Sunday afternoon as the island grapples with blackouts that have left 11 million people without power.
The National Hurricane Center said heavy rains from Hurricane Oscar will cause flash flooding in areas of eastern Cuba along with possible landslides through Tuesday.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (pictured) said his administration is working hard to protect people and economic resources as Hurricane Oscar approaches.
Blackouts began Friday morning and left 11 million people without power after the Antonio Guiteras power plant failed in the western province of Matanzas.
Officials were able to restore power on Saturday, restoring nearly 500 megawatts of power to 16 percent of customers, according to Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
The hurricane is expected to worsen the country’s current electrical problem.
Bermúdez wrote in unknown Saturday that his administration is working hard to protect people and economic resources as Hurricane Oscar approaches.
The hurricane is forecast to bring rainfall of five to 10 inches with isolated amounts of 15 inches across eastern Cuba through Wednesday.
In the southeastern Bahamas, three to five inches are expected, with isolated amounts of around 8 inches, and in the Turks and Caicos Islands, an additional two to four inches of rain is expected through Wednesday morning.
Cuban officials were able to restore electricity on Saturday, restoring nearly 500 megawatts of power to 16 percent of customers.
The network collapsed again on Saturday at 10:15 p.m. The hurricane is expected to aggravate this electrical problem for the population that faces the third night without electricity.
According to the National Hurricane Center, maximum sustained winds remain near 80 mph with higher gusts.
Hurricane Oscar could bring dangerous waves and increasing downpours that could put the island nation at risk.
“The impact of these hurricanes on Cuba is extremely concerning given the current power grid crisis in Cuba,” Porter said.
‘Adding the impact of a hurricane to the existing power failure can make the impact of the hurricane much worse than what would occur with another hurricane hitting Cuba, further putting lives at risk and resulting in challenges to prepare, respond and recover. of the impacts of the hurricane. ‘