Hurricane Rafael Causes Nationwide Blackouts in Cuba

Hurricane Rafael, a Category 3 storm with winds reaching 115 mph, devastated Cuba, leading to a nationwide blackout affecting 10 million residents. The storm made landfall in Artemisa province and caused significant damage to the already fragile electrical grid, which had recently suffered multiple outages. Recovery efforts commenced late Wednesday, but Havana and surrounding areas remained largely powerless as heavy rains and flooding continued to hinder progress. Over 70,000 people were evacuated ahead of the storm, and infrastructure damage was severe, complicating travel and recovery efforts. This disaster follows closely on the heels of Tropical Storm Oscar, which had already strained the island's power resources. The U.S. State Department has advised against travel to Cuba due to the extreme weather conditions and ongoing recovery challenges.