Havana: The center of Tropical Storm Elsa looked set to break out of Cuba near Havana on Monday, churning its way to Florida, though the one-way weather system was expected to bring heavy rain to the Caribbean’s largest island.
At 0900, the storm’s epicenter was 40 km (25 mi) away. Southeast Cuba’s Meteorological Institute said the capital is still experiencing calm weather conditions as it crosses the country’s center slowly from south to north at 20 kmph.
The institute said sustained winds had peaked near 85 kph (50 mph) while the storms were affecting the southern coast of Cuba and would also occur on the north coast, causing low-lying coastal areas in the capital such as its Light flooding occurred in the famous Malekon. Seaside Corniche.
“The rain is coming behind the center so the fact that it is moving towards the sea along the north coast between Havana and Mayabec … does not mean the rain is over,” Cuba’s most famous season scientist jose rubiera said on state television.
More than 100,000 people in Cuba were evacuated from unprotected housing in flood-affected areas or hurricane-prone paths, most of them going to homes of family and friends, but thousands more to government shelters, state media reported.
While such preparedness has enabled Cuba to avoid casualties from storms typically seen elsewhere, it comes amid Cuba’s worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic, raising fears that that withdrawal may promote infection.
Elsa has already caused at least three direct deaths and some damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Cuba’s southeastern Caribbean islands Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic.
It comes as the tourism-dependent archipelago is already reeling from the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and gears up for an active hurricane season.
Cuban meteorologists said Elsa’s rains could prove positive for agriculture, strengthening reservoirs, as long as they are not too intense.
5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain and maximum 15 inches (38 cm) of rain were forecast for parts of Cuba on Monday night and were expected to result in “significant flash floods and landslides”. US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
A tropical storm watch and hurricane surge watch were in place for most of the west coast of Florida, the NHC said, adding that Elsa is expected to strengthen into the ocean as it passed near the Florida Keys early Tuesday and parts of the west. Went near or over Florida’s coast on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The approach of the storm forced Florida officials to demolish the remainder of a condo building that had collapsed 11 days earlier, killing at least 24 people and more than 120 people still missing.
But revised predictions showing Elsa tracking to make landfall north of Miami-Dade sparked renewed optimism that the search for survivors will remain uninterrupted.
The NHC said volumes of 3 inches to 5 inches (8 to 13 cm) with localized maximum totals of 8 inches (20 cm) were expected in the Keys and western parts of Florida by Wednesday, resulting in considerable flash and urban flooding. may come. , with mild to moderate river flooding.
The agency said some tornadoes were possible in South Florida on Monday night and in the Florida Peninsula on Tuesday.
“All Floridians should be prepared for the possibility of heavy rain, flooding and potential power outages,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis written on Twitter.
In Seminole, Florida, residents filled bags of sand and placed them outside their homes to prevent flooding.
“If we have a lot of water .. and I wait to get bags of sand later then no one will be left, and then I will have a wet bedroom,” said Wendy Schultz, adding that she’ll stock them for the rest of the season anyway “‘Cause, you know, this is Florida.”
Authorities and locals in some Caribbean island countries, including Cuba, have begun repairs by Monday, such as clearing fallen trees and other debris, and restoring power.
At 0900, the storm’s epicenter was 40 km (25 mi) away. Southeast Cuba’s Meteorological Institute said the capital is still experiencing calm weather conditions as it crosses the country’s center slowly from south to north at 20 kmph.
The institute said sustained winds had peaked near 85 kph (50 mph) while the storms were affecting the southern coast of Cuba and would also occur on the north coast, causing low-lying coastal areas in the capital such as its Light flooding occurred in the famous Malekon. Seaside Corniche.
“The rain is coming behind the center so the fact that it is moving towards the sea along the north coast between Havana and Mayabec … does not mean the rain is over,” Cuba’s most famous season scientist jose rubiera said on state television.
More than 100,000 people in Cuba were evacuated from unprotected housing in flood-affected areas or hurricane-prone paths, most of them going to homes of family and friends, but thousands more to government shelters, state media reported.
While such preparedness has enabled Cuba to avoid casualties from storms typically seen elsewhere, it comes amid Cuba’s worst coronavirus outbreak since the start of the pandemic, raising fears that that withdrawal may promote infection.
Elsa has already caused at least three direct deaths and some damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Cuba’s southeastern Caribbean islands Saint Lucia and the Dominican Republic.
It comes as the tourism-dependent archipelago is already reeling from the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and gears up for an active hurricane season.
Cuban meteorologists said Elsa’s rains could prove positive for agriculture, strengthening reservoirs, as long as they are not too intense.
5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 cm) of rain and maximum 15 inches (38 cm) of rain were forecast for parts of Cuba on Monday night and were expected to result in “significant flash floods and landslides”. US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
A tropical storm watch and hurricane surge watch were in place for most of the west coast of Florida, the NHC said, adding that Elsa is expected to strengthen into the ocean as it passed near the Florida Keys early Tuesday and parts of the west. Went near or over Florida’s coast on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The approach of the storm forced Florida officials to demolish the remainder of a condo building that had collapsed 11 days earlier, killing at least 24 people and more than 120 people still missing.
But revised predictions showing Elsa tracking to make landfall north of Miami-Dade sparked renewed optimism that the search for survivors will remain uninterrupted.
The NHC said volumes of 3 inches to 5 inches (8 to 13 cm) with localized maximum totals of 8 inches (20 cm) were expected in the Keys and western parts of Florida by Wednesday, resulting in considerable flash and urban flooding. may come. , with mild to moderate river flooding.
The agency said some tornadoes were possible in South Florida on Monday night and in the Florida Peninsula on Tuesday.
“All Floridians should be prepared for the possibility of heavy rain, flooding and potential power outages,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis written on Twitter.
In Seminole, Florida, residents filled bags of sand and placed them outside their homes to prevent flooding.
“If we have a lot of water .. and I wait to get bags of sand later then no one will be left, and then I will have a wet bedroom,” said Wendy Schultz, adding that she’ll stock them for the rest of the season anyway “‘Cause, you know, this is Florida.”
Authorities and locals in some Caribbean island countries, including Cuba, have begun repairs by Monday, such as clearing fallen trees and other debris, and restoring power.
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