Amid a sweeping blackout that has gripped the island since Friday, Cubans find themselves cut off from vital news and internet access, complicating their ability to receive critical alerts from Civil Defense regarding the imminent arrival of Tropical Storm Oscar, which threatens to impact the province of Holguín.
The Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) has announced that Tropical Storm Oscar is currently situated north of the Dominican Republic, moving westward, with a significant chance of affecting eastern Cuba within the next 12 to 24 hours. Residents can expect heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, tropical storm-force winds, and dangerous swells along the northern coast from Guantánamo to Las Tunas.
This Saturday, Civil Defense urged the population to remain vigilant and follow updates through available media outlets. However, the pervasive lack of electricity and internet across much of the country has left many Cubans unable to receive these warnings. "It's ironic to be told to stay alert when they can't even get the information," commented several Cubans living abroad, who report that their relatives on the island have also been without internet for nearly 24 hours.
Oscar, which formed on Saturday morning, is the fifteenth tropical storm of the cyclone season. As of 11:00 AM, it was located 170 kilometers north of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and 430 kilometers east-northeast of Punta de Maisí, the easternmost point of Cuba. The storm maintains maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour, with higher gusts, and could potentially make landfall in Holguín.
The island-wide blackout further complicates an already challenging situation. Authorities have cautioned that weather conditions are expected to worsen rapidly starting Sunday, and they have urged the population to adhere to safety measures issued by Civil Defense to minimize risks.