Photos: Hurricane Rafael batters Cuba, plunging the island into a blackout

Less than a period aft Hurricane Milton churned implicit the land of Cuba, the state has been struck by yet different almighty storm: Hurricane Rafael.

Rafael made landfall connected Wednesday arsenic a formidable Category 3 storm, which qualifies it arsenic a large hurricane connected the Saffir-Simpson scale.

It lurched crossed the occidental state of Artemisa, with upwind speeds reported to beryllium 185 kilometres per hr (115 miles per hour).

But arsenic Wednesday evening wore on, the hurricane had crossed backmost into the Gulf of Mexico arsenic a Category 2 storm, with sustained winds of 168km/h (105mph).

From there, its destination was arsenic yet unknown: It is expected to proceed moving successful a northwest direction, weakening arsenic it perchance approaches either the United States oregon Mexico.

The Cuban authorities has already promised assistance to the affected areas.

“Major harm successful Artemisa, Mayabeque and Havana,” President Miguel Diaz-Canel posted connected societal media connected Wednesday night. “Every measurement from this infinitesimal connected is oriented towards recovery. Together we volition bash it.”

He pledged to sojourn the provinces devastated by the tempest “from the archetypal hour” of Thursday, to marque “precise assessments” for the betterment efforts.

Hurricane Rafael plunged Cuba into a blackout, conscionable weeks aft a powerfulness works failed connected October 18, cutting powerfulness to the full country.

Earlier that month, Cuba felt the wrath of Hurricane Milton, a tempest that intensified to a Category 5 astatine a grounds pace.

The Atlantic hurricane play stretches from June done the end of November, and the past 2 months person seen grounds tempest activity. Rafael is the 5th large hurricane successful the Atlantic this twelvemonth to scope Category 3 oregon higher.