Eta lands in Cuba, heads towards Florida

(CMC): Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on the south-central coast of Cuba earlier today and is predicted to bring a dangerous storm surge and life-threatening flash flooding.

Before making landfall, the country’s Civil Defense had issued an “Alarm Phase” for several western and central areas.

“In the face of Eta, there is no time to waste and protection is the priority,” Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel tweeted late Saturday.

This morning, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Eta was located just north of central Cuba and is moving toward the north near 14 mph (22 km/h). It was expected to make a gradual turn toward the north-northwest by this afternoon, followed by a north westward turn, and a westward motion by early Monday. 

On the forecast track, the centre of Eta will continue to move over Florida Straits between Cuba and the Bahamas on Sunday; pass near or over the Florida Keys tonight and early Monday, and be over the south eastern Gulf of Mexico late Monday and Tuesday.

Reports from the reconnaissance aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 65 mph (100 km/h), with higher gusts, additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Eta was forecast to become a hurricane before it reaches the Florida Keys this evening. Tropical storm conditions were expected to begin in South Florida this afternoon.

The Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis  yesterday declared a state of emergency for eight counties, as Eta approached.

The governor declared the emergency for Broward, Collier, Hendry, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties in south Florida out of an abundance of caution.

The counties include the cities of Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers and Key West.

Meanwhile, disaster plans are also in place in Mexico while evacuation and relief efforts continue in Guatemala and Honduras, which have been the hardest hit so far, with dozens dead or missing.

In Honduras, at least 23 people died and two are missing and more than 9,060 people are staying in 170 shelters.