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Hurricane Oscar Strikes Cuba Amid Nationwide Power Outage

 

Hurricane Oscar made landfall in eastern Cuba near Baracoa on Sunday, bringing with it powerful winds and torrential rains as the island grappled with an ongoing nationwide power outage. The storm, classified as a Category 1 hurricane, hit the Cuban coast with sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a central pressure of 986 mb, according to meteorological reports. Oscar had earlier passed near the Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas before setting its course for Cuba, where it made landfall at 9:50 PM UTC.

Residents in affected areas, particularly in the north of Guantánamo, were bracing for heavy rains, flash floods, and the potential for landslides. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) issued a warning regarding the imminent risk of flooding and storm surges, which could be life-threatening along the northern coastlines of Cuba and the Bahamas.

The blackout affecting Cuba since Friday has left the island vulnerable as it continues to deal with the aftermath of the shutdown of its largest coal power plant. This widespread power failure has crippled the nation’s infrastructure, making recovery efforts more challenging. Reports from The TODAY Show indicated that efforts to restore power were underway, but progress remained slow as the storm's winds and rains intensified, complicating the situation further.

Meteorologists tracking the storm, such as Scott Bachmeier from the University of Wisconsin, shared satellite images showing the hurricane’s movement across Cuba, highlighting intermittent lightning activity near the storm's center. Weather outlets have also raised concerns about storm surges and the risk of coastal flooding as Oscar continues to push across the island.

As Cuba battles both the storm and a crippled power grid, residents are urged to remain cautious, and emergency services are on high alert for possible rescues in hard-hit areas.




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