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CatastropheCuba

Cuba: Hurricane Oscar makes landfall amid power outage

October 21, 2024

Authorities said that the hurricane could cause flooding along the coast in three eastern provinces. The island has been grappling with a nationwide blackout for three days, with most of Havana still in the dark.

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Woman working in restaurant during blackout in Havana, Cuba
Oscar made landfall as Cuba is reeling from a nationwide blackout Image: Norlys Peres/REUTERS

Hurricane Oscar made landfall in Cuba on Sunday evening as the country continues to grapple with a power outage.

Cuba has been struggling to ensure electricity supply since Thursday.

What do we know about the hurricane?

Forecasters said five to 10 inches (13-25 centimeters) of rain are expected across eastern Cuba through Tuesday, with some areas going up to 15 inches.

Hurricane Oscar hit Great Inagua island in the southeastern Bahamas earlier on Sunday, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The NHC said the storm's center arrived in the Cuban province of Guantanamo, near the city of Baracoa, on Sunday evening. Its maximum sustained winds were close to 80 mph (130 kph).

The hurricane made landfall in Cuba at 18:10 p.m. local time (2210 GMT).

Cuban authorities said that "moderate to strong" flooding was expected "in low areas along the coast" in the eastern provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas.

Woman prepares to catch frisbee during blackout in Havana, Cuba
Cuba continued suffering from a nationwide blackout for a third dayImage: Ramon Espinosa/AP/picture alliance

Cuba continues to grapple with blackout

Cuban Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy told a press conference he hopes that the country's electricity grid will be restored by Monday or Tuesday morning.

However, he said that the arrival of Oscar will bring "an additional inconvenience" to repair efforts as the hurricane will hit a "region of strong [electricity] generation."

Cuba began seeing blackouts on Thursday, leading the government to suspend non-vital services. The country then experienced a total grid failure on Friday that left around 10 million people without power.

Residents illuminated by headlights of car during blackout in Havana, Cuba
Most of Havana remained dark late on SundayImage: Ramon Espinosa/AP/picture alliance

State media reported that the electricity supply failed again across the country on Saturday morning.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the US' 60-year-old trade embargo on the island had exacerbated the blackouts, causing difficulties in acquiring fuel for power stations.

While some neighborhoods of Havana had electricity restored by Sunday, most of the capital city remained dark.

Cuba begins restoring electricity

sdi/jsi (AFP, AP, EFE)