Hurricane Oscar struck eastern Cuba on Sunday evening, exacerbating an already dire situation as the island faced a widespread power blackout. The storm’s center was positioned about 50 miles east of Guantanamo, moving west-southwest at 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
With sustained winds of 80 mph, Oscar made landfall after battering the Bahamas earlier in the day. This event unfolded as Cuba experienced its fourth nationwide power grid collapse in 48 hours, leaving millions in darkness and dealing with critical shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
In light of the hurricane and the ongoing power crisis, the Cuban government took drastic measures, including canceling school until Wednesday, an unusual decision in the country. Officials also advised that only essential workers should report to work on Monday.
Although the National Hurricane Center expected Oscar to weaken after landfall, they warned that it could maintain tropical storm strength through the week as it moved northward. Forecasters predicted heavy rainfall for eastern Cuba, with some regions potentially receiving up to 18 inches, leading to heightened concerns about flooding.
Hurricane Oscar Intensifies Cuba’s Crisis Amid Power Blackouts and Severe Shortages
There were growing fears about a dangerous storm surge, particularly in the southeastern Bahamas and along the northern coast of Cuba. Meteorologists from AccuWeather raised the possibility that Oscar could intensify into a Category 2 hurricane.
Jon Porter, AccuWeather’s chief meteorologist, emphasized the risk of flash floods, mudslides, and rockslides in southeastern Cuba, where steep terrain combined with heavy rain posed serious dangers. He cautioned that a more intense Oscar could spark a humanitarian crisis, particularly if the storm made a close pass or direct hit on Cuba.
The hurricane’s impact was made even more concerning by Cuba’s ongoing power grid failures. On Saturday, the government managed to restore electricity to only a fraction of the country’s population following two grid collapses in less than 24 hours.
The first blackout occurred on Friday when the country’s largest power plant shut down, and the grid collapsed again Saturday morning. Despite initial recovery efforts, the power grid failed again later that evening, creating an even more precarious situation just as Hurricane Oscar bore down on the island.
As Cuba faced both the storm and the power outages, meteorologists and officials warned that the combined effects could worsen the already severe crisis. Jon Porter noted that the collapse of the power grid before the hurricane struck made the situation more dangerous, complicating evacuation, response, and recovery efforts.
With millions of people already dealing with shortages of basic necessities, Hurricane Oscar’s arrival threatened to further destabilize Cuba, increasing the risk of long-term humanitarian challenges if the storm’s intensity grew or its impacts lingered.
