Category 3 Hurricane Rafael made landfall on Wednesday, November 6, west of Havana, as the island was plunged into darkness due to the collapse of its electrical system caused by gusty winds at higher 185 km/h.
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“ Rafael made landfall in the Cuban province of Artemisa » west of Havana, the capital of Cuba“ with sustained winds of nearly 185 km/h “, indicated the National Hurricane Center (NHC), based in UNITED STATESin its bulletin published at 9:15 p.m. UT (4:15 p.m. local).
According to images shot by AFP journalists in Publo Candelaria, a town of 20,000 inhabitants 65 kilometers west of Havana, the deserted streets are swept by strong gusty winds, accompanied by rain, which have torn branches of trees whose tops are swayed in all directions.
A little earlier, the “ violent winds caused by the high intensity Hurricane Rafael caused the disconnection of the national electricity system », indicated on X the national electricity company (UNE).
“ Severe hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h “, which makes it a category 3 out of 5 hurricane according to the Saffir-Simpson scale, added the Cuban Meteorological Institute (Insmet) to X.
In Havana, where two million inhabitants live, the streets were swept by strong gusts accompanied by intense rain, AFP noted. Shops, offices and schools had been closed in advance.
“ Rafael is moving northwest at a speed of 20 km/h (…) and is expected to cross Cuba this evening and emerge over the southeast Gulf of Mexico in the evening or weekend », He added.
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