Thousands evacuated in Cuba Amid Storm

Thousands of people have been evacuated in Cuba after Tropical Storm Imelda unleashed torrential rains across the northern Caribbean, leaving at least two people dead, according to local authorities.

The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (95 km/h), was located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) north of Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Monday. 

The area is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm that struck in 2019.

Imelda is moving northward at 9 mph (15 km/h) and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by Tuesday before heading into the open Atlantic, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

In Cuba, flooding and landslides in Santiago de Cuba cut off access to 17 communities where more than 24,000 residents live, according to state newspaper Granma.

In the neighboring province of Guantánamo, over 18,000 people were evacuated as rising waters threatened homes, state broadcaster Caribe TV reported.

Authorities in the Bahamas also announced the closure of most schools on Monday as heavy rains and strong winds swept the islands.