Hurricane Rafael plows across Cuba as a Category 3 storm after knocking
out power on the island
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[November 07, 2024]
By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
HAVANA (AP) — Hurricane Rafael pushed into the Gulf of Mexico on
Wednesday night after plowing across western Cuba as a Category 3
hurricane with winds so powerful it knocked out the entire country's
power grid.
Massive waves lashed at the shores of Havana as sharp winds and rain
whipped at the city’s historic center, leaving trees littered on flooded
streets on Wednesday evening.
Forecasters warned Rafael could bring “life-threatening” storm surges,
winds and flash floods to western swaths of the island after it knocked
out power and dumped rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica the day
before. The extent of the damage was still unclear as of Wednesday
night.
The storm was located 55 miles (90 kilometers) west-northwest of Havana
on Wednesday. After plowing across the island, it slowed to a Category 2
hurricane. It had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (170 kph) and was
moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph), according to the National Hurricane
Center.
The storm is bad news for Cuba, which is struggling with devastating
blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that
killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Cuban government issued an alert for the
incoming storm while crews in Havana worked to fortify buildings and
clear scraps from seaside areas in anticipation of flooding.
Classes and public transport were suspended on parts of the island and
authorities canceled flights in and out Havana and Varadero. Meanwhile,
thousands of people in the west of the island were evacuated as a
prevention measure.
Silvia Pérez, a 72-year-old retiree living in a coastal area of Havana
was among those scrambling to prepare. As other neighbors moved
appliances and other furniture from ground floor homes, Pérez stocked up
on water and food.
“This is a night I don’t want to sleep through, between the battering
air and the trees,” Pérez said. “I’m scared for my friends and family.”
Forecasters expected the storm to weaken over Cuba before emerging in
the southeastern Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.
The U.S. State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday
afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and
American citizens, and advising others to “reconsider travel to Cuba due
to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Rafael.”
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A man walks through the wind and rain brought by Hurricane Rafael in
Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
On Tuesday morning, the Cuban Civil Defense called on Cubans to
prepare as soon as possible, because when the storm makes landfall
“it’s important to stay where you are.”
A hurricane warning was in effect Wednesday for the Cuban provinces
of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and the
Isle of Youth.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban provinces of
Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, as well
as the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the
Channel 5 Bridge, and Dry Tortugas.
The storm on Tuesday knocked out power in parts of Jamaica and
unleashed flooding and landslides. The Jamaica Public Service, the
island’s electricity provider, said in a statement late Tuesday that
impassable roads were preventing crews from restoring power in some
areas.
Power outages were reported across the Cayman Islands after a direct
hit late Tuesday, and schools remained closed on Wednesday.
“While conditions have improved on Grand Cayman, residents are
advised to exercise extreme caution on the roads and near coastlines
as rough seas and residual flooding risks may persist,” the
government said in a statement.
Heavy rainfall also was expected to spread north into Florida and
nearby areas of the southeast U.S. during the middle to late part of
the week. The Hurricane Center predicted storm surges in Florida
could reach up to 3 feet in Dry Tortugas and between 1 and 2 feet in
the Lower Florida Keys. A few tornadoes also were expected Wednesday
over the Keys and southwestern Florida.
Rafael is the 17th named storm of the season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the
2024 hurricane season was likely to be well above average, with
between 17 and 25 named storms. The forecast called for as many as
13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
An average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, seven
of them hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
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Associated Press reporter Megan Janetsky contributed from Mexico
City.
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