Hurricane Rafael Causes Widespread Blackouts and Evacuations in Cuba

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba as a Category 3 storm, knocking out the national power grid and affecting 10 million people. Widespread damage occurred across multiple provinces, with emergency measures activated, including evacuations and flight cancellations. By Thursday, Rafael was downgraded to a Category 2 as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. Although the storm weakened, additional rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is expected to exacerbate flooding and mudslides, primarily in higher terrain. The storm's trajectory suggests little impact on the U.S. Gulf Coast, while meteorologists monitor a potential new storm system in the Caribbean.