Civil Defense declares an alert from Camagüey to Guantánamo

Hurricane Oscar remains a Category One on the Saffir-Simpson scale and could intensify in the next 12 hours. It is expected to make landfall on Sunday afternoon along the northern coast of Cuba, between the provinces of Guantánamo and Holguín.

Trayectoria del huracán Oscar © NOAA
Path of Hurricane OscarPhoto © NOAA

The National General Staff of Civil Defense decided to establish the Cyclonic Alarm Phase this Sunday for the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas, in anticipation of the imminent arrival of Hurricane Oscar.

The Cyclonic Alarm Phase has been established, taking into account information from the Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology, which warns that Hurricane Oscar remains at category one on the Saffir-Simpson scale and could intensify in the next 12 hours, as reported by the newspaper Venceremos in a note published on Facebook.

Facebook Capture / Venceremos Newspaper

Weather conditions in the eastern region will continue to deteriorate with heavy rainfall, showers, and thunderstorms, especially in mountainous areas and vulnerable localities.

According to the statement, precipitation accumulations are expected to reach between 100 and 200 millimeters in the next 24 hours, while wind strength will gradually increase.

In addition, strong surges are already being recorded along the northeastern coast, which will extend toward the northern coast of Las Tunas, causing moderate coastal flooding in low-lying areas.

Camagüey remains in Alert Phase, while Ciego de Ávila continues in Informative Phase. Authorities urge the population to stay informed through the media and to diligently follow the guidelines set by local authorities and the Civil Defense.

The National Staff of Civil Defense, along with the Meteorology and Hydraulic Resources institutes, are closely monitoring the evolution of the hurricane, the report stated.

Cyclone Oscar is expected to hit Cuba at a point along the northern coast between Guantánamo and Holguín, in the afternoon of this Sunday.

Facebook Screenshot / Lázaro Manuel Alonso

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned on the social media platform X that the cyclone "is approaching the northern coast of eastern Cuba, where conditions will soon deteriorate."

Due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Oscar and the efforts to restore the national electrical system, which has been completely down since last Friday, the Cuban government decided this Sunday to suspend all non-essential administrative and educational activities.

COMMENT

Filed under: