Hurricane Rafael made its formidable presence felt as it traversed the Gulf of Mexico on a recent Friday morning, marking a significant meteorological event as it became the first major hurricane to hit the region in November in nearly four decades. At the forefront of evacuation efforts and damage assessments, forecasters warned that the hurricane posed severe threats to the coastal regions of the southern United States. The dangerous conditions associated with Rafael included hazardous surf and rip currents that are anticipated to impact the entirety of the Gulf Coast for several days. However, the storm had already wreaked havoc on Cuba, where millions remained without electricity, casting a long shadow over the aftermath in a country still grappling with the challenges of its infrastructure.
By 4 a.m. ET, meteorological reports positioned Rafael approximately 585 miles from the mouth of the Rio Grande, boasting sustained winds of up to 120 mph and categorizing it as a Category 3 hurricane. Its movement westward at a speed of 9 mph was closely monitored by the National Hurricane Center. Rafael, notable for its intensity, is now equated with Hurricane Kate from 1985, marking the two as the most powerful storms ever cataloged in the Gulf during this time of year. Although projections suggested a weakening of Rafael as the weekend progressed, it was anticipated that the storm would still deliver tropical storm-force winds—ranging from 39 to 73 mph—extending up to 115 miles from its core, a realization that kept residents and authorities on edge.
Meanwhile, in Cuba, the president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, engaged in ground visits to assess damage and coordinate responses in areas struck by severe winds reaching 115 mph. The storm’s impact was dramatic; the nation’s entire power grid suffered a total collapse, leading to widespread blackouts for over 10 million citizens—this being the second such failure in the past month. Authorities reported the evacuation of over 283,000 individuals, with 98,300 fleeing the bustling capital of Havana, an area known for its dense population and aging infrastructure. The desperation among locals became evident as many sought refuge in hotels equipped with backup generators, pointing to the fractures within the nation’s energy resources.
Local resilience shone through during this ordeal, exemplified by the actions of hotel managers who extended their resources to assist neighborhood residents, enabling them to recharge essential devices during the blackout. As the storm continued its path across the Gulf, the plight of the people in affected areas underscored the dual impact of natural disasters and systemic vulnerabilities. For many like local resident Mario de la Rosa Negrin, experiences with the storm and persistent energy grid failures had become a haunting routine. With Rafael marking its place as the 17th named storm of the season—notably the sixth hurricane to strike the Gulf in November—the implications of these climatic shifts carry weighty significance for future disaster preparedness and community response initiatives in both Cuba and the southern U.S.
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