The recovery phase begins following Rafael's passage through Cuba

Cuba began the recovery phase on Thursday in the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Havana, and the Special Municipality of the Isle of Youth, following the passage of Hurricane Rafael, which left the island on Wednesday evening.

The National Staff of Civil Defense also declared that as of 10:00 AM, the provinces of Matanzas, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spíritus, and Ciego de Ávila would be declared in "normalcy."

According to information note number 2 from the Civil Defense authority, Hurricane Rafael, which reached Category 3 as it struck the western region of Cuba on Wednesday, has now moved away from the national territory and no longer poses a danger to the island.

It was reported that rescue and recovery operations began immediately in the provinces affected by the hurricane. Rafael made landfall with winds of up to 185 km/h, causing severe blackouts across the country, including power outages in the capital, Havana, and other regions in the west.

According to the official report, more than 400 technicians and 150 vehicles have been deployed to restore electrical service during this recovery phase.

Severe flooding was reported in several provinces, including Havana, although authorities have not reported any fatalities so far. Rainfall during the hurricane ranged from 100 to 200 mm, contributing to the flooding. In Havana, wind gusts reached up to 150 km/h.

Currently, in several areas of western Cuba, work is underway to remove debris and fallen trees that succumbed to the force of the winds.

The leader Miguel Díaz-Canel announced on his social media that he would travel to the affected areas to personally oversee the recovery efforts.

The energy crisis in Cuba has been worsened by the effects of the hurricane, in an already challenging context marked by fuel shortages and a lack of maintenance in the electrical grid, resulting in chronic blackouts over the past few months.

This event adds to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Oscar, which struck the eastern provinces of Cuba just two weeks ago, leading to more evacuations and worsening the energy situation throughout the country.

Hurricane Rafael has been one of the most intense phenomena of the season, being only the sixth Category 3 hurricane to make landfall in Cuba in the last 60 years during the month of November.