Cuba is reeling after a Category 3 hurricane devastated the island and knocked out the power grid

By Andrea Rodriguez, The Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba was reeling Thursday after a powerful Category 3 hurricane ripped through the island and crippled the country’s power grid.

The extent of the impact remained unclear in the early hours, but forecasters warned that Hurricane Rafael could bring “life-threatening” storm surges, winds and flash floods to Cuba after devastating parts of the Cayman Islands and Jamaica.

Huge waves pounded Havana’s coast on Wednesday evening as fierce winds and rain destroyed the historic cityscape and left trees on flooded streets. Much of the city was dark and deserted.

According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, as the storm swept over Cuba, it slowed to a Category 2 hurricane that swept into the Gulf of Mexico near northern Mexico and southern Texas.

But many Cubans were left picking up the pieces from the night before, with a strange feeling of déjà vu after a rocky few weeks in the Caribbean country.

In October the island was hit by a double whammy. First, Cuba was hit by days of island-wide power outages caused by the island’s energy crisis. Shortly afterwards, it was hit by another strong hurricane, killing at least six people in the eastern part of the island.

It fueled the discontent that was already simmering in Cuba over the ongoing economic crisis, prompting many to emigrate from Cuba.

While the State Department issued a travel warning for Cuba based on the story, the Cuban government also sounded the alarm and urged citizens to go into hiding.

Classes and public transportation were suspended on parts of the island and authorities canceled flights to and from Havana and Varadero. Thousands of people in the west of the island were evacuated as a preventive measure, and many more like Silvia Pérez, a 72-year-old retiree who lives in a coastal area of ​​Havana, scrambled to prepare.

“This is a night I don’t want to sleep through between the oppressive air and the trees,” Pérez said. “I’m scared for my friends and family.”

The concern arose after the storm knocked out power in the Cayman Islands and Jamaica and also triggered flooding and landslides there.

Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the 2024 hurricane season would likely be well above average, with 17 to 25 named storms. The forecast called for up to 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.