Hurricane Rafael Plunges Cuba into Darkness, Wreaking Havoc Across Island

Hurricane Rafael unleashed its full force on Cuba Wednesday, knocking out power across the entire island and compounding a recent spate of devastating weather events. 

The hurricane, which intensified to a Category 3 storm as it struck the island, disrupted life for Cuba’s 10 million residents, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Rafael’s impact comes on the heels of a recent nationwide blackout, adding to the strain on an already resource-constrained nation still reeling from a previous deadly storm.

Hurricane Rafael’s powerful winds and heavy rains battered the Caribbean nation, uprooting trees, flooding streets, and damaging infrastructure, while toppling power lines and plunging cities into darkness. The outage spread rapidly, sparking concerns about access to critical services, including healthcare and water. Many Cuban households, already struggling with economic hardships, now face a prolonged period without electricity as recovery efforts get underway. The storm's timing adds further strain to a country grappling with chronic energy shortages and recent natural disasters, which have left resources stretched and emergency response capacities limited.

The Cuban government mobilized emergency teams to begin initial rescue and recovery operations, though the extent of the damage remains unclear. Authorities have warned that restoring power across the island could take several days or even weeks, depending on the scale of damage to the power grid.

As Cubans brace for the challenging days ahead, international aid organizations have been alerted to the urgent need for support. Hurricane Rafael’s impact underscores the vulnerability of the island to increasingly severe weather events linked to climate change, as well as the resilience of the Cuban people in the face of ongoing hardships.