Tropical storm Oscar rapidly intensified in the last few hours and became a hurricane with sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (80 mph), according to a special advisory issued this Saturday at 2:00 pm by the National Hurricane Center of the United States.
This hurricane now poses a serious threat to the northern coast of Cuba, where the population is facing great difficulties in staying informed due to a widespread blackout since Friday and the interruption of internet service for more than 24 hours.
Oscar, which at 11:00 AM this Saturday was still a tropical storm, has rapidly gained strength as it moves westward, also affecting the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas, where hurricane warnings have been issued.
The hurricane is on a trajectory that will bring it closer to the eastern region of Cuba, particularly to the north coast, where dangerous weather conditions are expected in the coming hours, including strong winds, intense rainfall, and storm surges.
It could make landfall at some point in the province of Holguín before veering northeast, the trajectory indicates.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, many Cubans still cannot access updated information due to the lack of electricity and internet.
The Civil Defense of the island has already issued a warning asking Cubans to "stay informed," and did not provide any information on whether there is a contingency plan to deliver information to neighborhoods amid the massive blackout.
The Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba (INSMET) and the Civil Defense are closely monitoring Oscar and will issue a new report at 6:00 PM this Saturday.
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