2 killed in Cuba as Hurricanes Imelda and Humberto threaten Bahamas and Bermuda

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities in the Bahamas closed most schools on Monday as Imelda dropped heavy rain in the northern Caribbean, including over Cuba, where two people died as a result of the storm

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Authorities in the Bahamas closed most schools on Monday as Imelda dropped heavy rain in the northern Caribbean, including over Cuba, where two people died as a result of the storm.

The storm, which strengthened to a Category 1 Hurricane on Tuesday morning, 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 75 mph and was moving north at 8 mph. It was forecast to spin out to open ocean as it moves away from the U.S., according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

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.

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.