Havana, Oct 20 (EFE). – Hurricane Oscar made landfall in Cuba on Sunday at 6:10 pm local time near Baracoa, in the northeastern corner of the island, according to the Cuban Meteorological Institute (Insmet).
Oscar, a Category 1 hurricane, out of 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, has maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour with higher gusts, according to the Insmet.
Rain and thunderstorms have been reported in the eastern provinces, with 123.5 millimeters recorded at the Punta de Maisí station between 8 am and 4 pm.
Over the next few hours, rains, showers, and thunderstorms will continue, becoming heavy and intense in some regions and mountain areas.
Accumulated rainfall could reach between 100 and 200 millimeters in the provinces of the eastern region.
Strong storm surges and coastal flooding are also expected in Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas.
Authorities placed the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas on hurricane alert, while Camagüey remains on alert and Ciego de Avila on information.
Oscar’s arrival comes just over two days after Cuba suffered a total blackout, from which it is just beginning to recover.
Due to the power cuts and the hurricane, the Cuban government has suspended non-essential administrative and educational activities throughout the country until Wednesday.
The authorities also urged the population to stay informed through the national media and to follow the instructions of local authorities.
Oscar became a Category 1 hurricane on Saturday after accelerated intensification and has already affected the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas.
It is the 15th tropical storm of the current Atlantic hurricane season.
The US and Cuban weather services warned months ago that this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November, would be particularly active. EFE
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