The storm struck the Cuban mainland about 140 kilometers southeast of Havana. The southern coast of the island was swept by the waves, while other parts of the country are facing strong winds and downpours. However, according to meteorologists, not very heavy rainfall can benefit local agriculture.
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Two Cuban provinces, including where the capital Havana is located, have declared a state of emergency in anticipation of Elsa. Another province then a state of emergency. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from places that could be affected by the floods.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also declared a state of emergency in 15 districts. Among them is also Miami-Dade, where the apartment complex collapsed in June and where rescue work continues. According to the NHC, Elsa, which is to move to the northern part of Cuba, will weaken over the mainland, but may strengthen again over the sea.
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“Once Elsa appears over the Strait of Florida and the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, minor re-intensification is possible,” the center said.
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They were preparing for the arrival of Elsa in Cuba.
Photo: Alexandre Meneghini, Reuters
It continues north
The NHC forecasts that it will move over the Florida Keys archipelago early Tuesday morning. Subsequently, on Tuesday or Wednesday, the storm should cross or narrowly miss the west coast of Florida.
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A tropical storm over the weekend brought a strong wind and heavy downpour over several islands of the Caribbean Sea. A 15-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman died on the south coast of the Dominican Republic, and a wall collapsed in two different places. A third person died on the island of Saint Lucia.
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On Saturday morning, Elsa, as the first storm of this year’s hurricane season over the Western Atlantic, earned the classification of a first-degree hurricane. It also hit the island of Barbados hard, where more than 1,100 people reported damaged houses. Over 60 of them were completely destroyed by Elsa. Fallen trees have been reported by authorities in Haiti, which is prone to floods and landslides due to extensive deforestation and erosion.
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Elsa is the earliest fifth named storm ever recorded by meteorologists over the Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, it set a record as the fastest storm, reaching a speed of almost 50 kilometers per hour on Saturday morning. According to NHC data from 20:00 CEST, the speed is now 22 kilometers per hour.
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