Imelda Kills 2 In Cuba, Turns To Bahamas, Bermuda

Authorities in the Bahamas closed most schools on Monday as then Tropical Storm Imelda dropped heavy rain in the northern Caribbean, including over Cuba where two people died as a result of the storm.

The storm, now a hurricane, was located about 140 miles north of Great Abaco Island of the Bahamas, which is still recovering from Hurricane Dorian after it slammed into parts of the Bahamas as a devastating Category 5 hurricane in 2019.

Imelda had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph and was moving northeast at 7 mph. It was forecast to move away from the Southeast coast, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

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A tropical storm warning that had been in effect for parts of the extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Great Abaco, Grand Bahama Island and the surrounding keys, was lifted early Tuesday. Power outages were reported in some areas, with authorities closing government offices on affected islands and issuing mandatory evacuation orders for some islands over the weekend.

(MORE: Latest Forecast For Imelda, Humberto)

2 deaths and evacuations across Cuba

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said late Monday that two people died after Imelda impacted eastern Cuba. On his X account, Marrero said the two people died in Santiago de Cuba province, but he didn’t give any details.

Earlier, state media reported that 60-year-old Luis Mario Pérez Coiterio had died in Santiago de Cuba following landslides in that area.

(MORE: Why Imelda's Forecast Changed So Drastically)

In Santiago de Cuba, flooding and landslides cut off 17 communities, according to the official newspaper Granma. More than 24,000 people live in those communities.

In Guantánamo, another impacted province, more than 18,000 people have been evacuated, according to reports from the state-run Caribe television channel.

Imelda was expected to drop 4 to 8 inches of rain across the northwest Bahamas through Tuesday, and 2 to 4 inches across eastern Cuba.

Humberto roars in open waters

Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto, which weakened to a Category 1 storm Tuesday morning, churned in open waters nearby, which forecasters said would cause Imelda to abruptly turn to the east-northeast, away from the southeastern United States coast.

Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It was located about 300 miles west of Bermuda, moving north-northwest at 18 mph. A hurricane warning was in effect for Bermuda.

(MORE: Humberto And Imelda's Forecast Cones Are Crossing

A double threat for Bermuda

Authorities in Bermuda hoped neither of the two storms would be a direct hit later in the week, though they were forecast to, at least, come close, with Imelda possibly passing within 15 miles as the season's fourth hurricane.

Michael Weeks, Bermuda's national security minister, urged residents to prepare, warning that there have been “some near misses this season regarding severe storms."

“Hurricane Humberto is a dangerous storm, and with another system developing to our south, every household in Bermuda should take the necessary steps to be prepared," he said.

Flights to and from the islands in the Bahamas were canceled, with airports expected to reopen after weather conditions improve.