This satellite image provided by NOAA on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 shows Hurricane Oscar. (NOAA via AP)
MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Oscar has made landfall in eastern Cuba, an island beleaguered by a massive power outage, after striking the southeastern Bahamas.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami says the storm’s center arrived in the Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening.
Its maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph.
Oscar made landfall on Great Inagua island in the Bahamas earlier Sunday.
It is expected to produce a dangerous storm surge that could translate into significant coastal flooding there and in other areas of the southeastern Bahamas.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below:
MIAMI (AP) — Hurricane Oscar made landfall early Sunday in the southeastern Bahamas and was heading toward Cuba, an island beleaguered by a massive power outage.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm’s center arrived on Great Inagua island.
It is expected to produce a dangerous storm surge that could translate into significant coastal flooding there and in other areas of the southeastern Bahamas.
Two to four inches of rainfall are expected, with isolated areas seeing up to six inches.
Forecasters said five to 10 inches of rain are expected across eastern Cuba through Tuesday, with some isolated locations getting up to 15 inches.
Oscar formed Saturday off the coast of the Bahamas and brushed past the Turks and Caicos islands to the south.
The National Hurricane Center earlier characterized the storm as “tiny,” but hurricane warnings were in place Sunday for southeastern Bahamas and portions of Cuba.
The storm’s maximum sustained winds were clocked at 80 mph (130 kph) with higher gusts.
Its center was located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) east-northeast of Guantanamo, Cuba.
The storm was heading west at 7 mph (11 kph) and was expected to reach Guantanamo or Holguin, Cuba, on Sunday at hurricane strength.
The hurricane’s approach comes as Cuba tries to recover from its worst blackout in at least two years, which left millions without power for two days last week. Some electrical service was restored Saturday.
Philippe Papin of the National Hurricane Center said it was somewhat unexpected that Oscar became a hurricane Saturday.
“Unfortunately, the system kind of snuck up a little bit on us,” Papin said.
Hours earlier, Tropical Storm Nadine formed off Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast.
It degenerated into a tropical depression as it moved over land.