Havana/Miami - Hurricane Paloma hurled 195-kilometre-winds at the central Cuban province of Camaguey late Saturday, the third powerful hurricane this season to lash the Caribbean island.

The Cuban weather service said the storm had weakened slightly from the 230 kilometre-an-hour winds that had threatened. Cuban officials expect Paloma to leave Cuba Sunday morning for the Bahamas.

The National Hurricane Centre in Miami, Florida, said the storm had dropped from Category 4 - with winds of 230 kilometres an hour - to Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Paloma has already buffeted the Cayman Islands on its way to Cuba, but spared the islands heavy damage, according to local officials. The storm became a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea late Thursday.

Cuba was struck by two powerful hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, within just seven days of each other between August and September. The island was devastated, with an estimated 9 billion dollars in damages.

Should Paloma make landfall on Cuba, it would be the fifth storm to hit the island this season.

Paloma is the 16th storm in the current season - set to end November 30 - in the Atlantic Ocean. (dpa)