Photos: Hurricane Rafael batters Cuba, plunging the island into a blackout

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A man on horseback rides under a tattered Cuban flag.

The winds from Hurricane Rafael blow through the ribbons of a tattered flag in Havana, Cuba, on November 6 [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

Published On 7 Nov 2024

Less than a month after Hurricane Milton churned over the island of Cuba, the country has been struck by yet another powerful storm: Hurricane Rafael.

Rafael made landfall on Wednesday as a formidable Category 3 storm, which qualifies it as a major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

It lurched across the western province of Artemisa, with wind speeds reported to be 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles per hour).

But as Wednesday evening wore on, the hurricane had crossed back into the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 2 storm, with sustained winds of 168km/h (105mph).

From there, its destination was as yet unknown: It is expected to continue moving in a northwest direction, weakening as it potentially approaches either the United States or Mexico.

The Cuban government has already promised aid to the affected areas.

“Major damage in Artemisa, Mayabeque and Havana,” President Miguel Diaz-Canel posted on social media on Wednesday night. “Every step from this moment on is oriented towards recovery. Together we will do it.”

He pledged to visit the provinces devastated by the storm “from the first hour” of Thursday, to make “precise assessments” for the recovery efforts.

Hurricane Rafael plunged Cuba into a blackout, just weeks after a power plant failed on October 18, cutting power to the entire country.

Earlier that month, Cuba felt the wrath of Hurricane Milton, a storm that intensified to a Category 5 at a record pace.

The Atlantic hurricane season stretches from June through the end of November, and the past two months have seen record storm activity. Rafael is the fifth major hurricane in the Atlantic this year to reach Category 3 or higher.

A pedestrian has their umbrella turned inside out by the wind.

A tourist from China tries to keep hold of his umbrella as the winds of Hurricane Rafael lash the Cuban capital of Havana on November 6. [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

A person under a crumpled umbrella walks past murals of the Cuban flag and Che Guevara

A woman under a crumpled umbrella walks past murals of the Cuban flag and Che Guevera in Havana, Cuba, on November 6. [Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters]

Two people run through torrential rain

People in Havana, Cuba, dash through the torrential downpours that Hurricane Rafael brought on November 6. [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

A person in a plastic poncho walks through the rain

Heavy rains, gusts, landslides and rising storm surge were among the threats posed by Hurricane Rafael. [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

A woman is shielded by a wind-battered umbrella

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has declared the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season to be 'highly active', with near-record sea surface temperatures. [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

A small vehicle's fabric roof collapses in the rain

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said a 'new recovery process is already beginning' in the wake of Hurricane Rafael. [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

A person in a plastic poncho walks past a blue wall

While Hurricane Rafael made landfall as a Category 3 storm, it weakened to a Category 2, with sustained winds of 168km/h (105mph). [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

A person walks through an empty street in the rain

Less than a month ago, Hurricane Milton likewise struck Cuba, dumping torrential rain on the island. [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

Round shades made of palm fronds stand on a beach in front of stormy seas.

The hurricane was the latest strain on the island of Cuba, which is in the midst of an economic crisis. [Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo]

A view of a street without light during a blackout in Cuba

Cuba's energy grid collapsed as Hurricane Rafael made landfall on Wednesday, leaving residents without power. [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

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