Millions in Cuba have been without power for days after Oscar made landfall on the island. NBC6’s Hatzel Vela reports
Tropical Storm Oscar dumped heavy rain across eastern Cuba on Monday after making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on the island already beleaguered by a massive power outage.
Its maximum sustained winds blew at 40 mph on Monday as Oscar moved northwest at 6 mph. The storm was located about 50 miles northwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
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The storm made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph in Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening before weakening to a tropical storm.
The storm is expected to emerge off Cuba's northern coast late Monday and move near the southeastern and central Bahamas on Tuesday, forecasters said.
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5am EDT Monday Key Messages on Tropical Storm #Oscar. Heavy rain will continue causing life-threatening flash flooding & mudslides for portions of eastern #Cuba
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 21, 2024
More info: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/lvWJ8vZfDQ
Up to 14 inches of rain were forecast across eastern Cuba, with isolated amounts of up to 20 inches.
"This rainfall will lead to areas of significant, life-threatening flash flooding along with mudslides," the NHC said.
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Across the southeastern Bahamas, 3 to 5 inches are expected, with isolated amounts around 8 inches, which could cause localized flash flooding.
Oscar is the smallest hurricane on record, with a wind field of only about six miles across, according to hurricane specialist and storm surge expert Michael Lowry.
Cuba suffered an island-wide power blackout Friday. Some electrical service was restored Saturday, but most residents remain without power. The country's energy minister expressed hope that the grid could be restored Monday or Tuesday.
