Tropical storm Isaac Saturday left Cuban after hitting the island for 5 hours, causing no casualties but some damage to agriculture and the electric system, said a statement from the Cuban National Meteorology Institute (Insmet).

Isaac landed in the eastern province of Guantanamo at 11:00 a.m. (1600 GMT) in the Imias region, and returned to the sea at 4:00 p.m. (2100 GMT) through Guardalavaca Beach, a famous tourist attraction in the eastern province of Holguin.

The storm packed maximum sustained winds of nearly 95 km per hour (kph), and moved toward northwest at a speed of 33 kph.

During its crossing through Guantanamo, Isaac whipped up five-meter waves and caused heavy rains and floods in lowlands.

The National Headquarter of the Civil Defense evacuated 3,112 people, including some foreign tourists, urging local residents to stay alert of damaging rains and floods.

According to Insmet, at 6:00 p.m. (2300 GMT), the storm was located at 21.5 degrees north latitude and 76.3 degrees west longitude, 52.82 miles (85 km) northeast of Lucrecia Cape in Holguin.

Isaac was the ninth tropical storm of the 2012 season that hit Cuba, where cyclonic season extends from June to November.

Before battering Cuba, the storm crossed neighboring Haiti, which shares the same island, causing 2 casualties, evacuation of over 5,000 people and severe economic damage.

Forecasters predicted Isaac would strengthen and become a hurricane as it approaches the Florida Keys and parts of Florida, the United States.

Florida on Saturday has stepped into a state of emergency, and a Hurricane Warning is currently in effect for some regions.

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