Hurricane Rafael made landfall in the Cuban province of Artemisa as a Category 3 hurricane, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and essential services.
Sustained winds reached 185 km/h. The cyclone made landfall at Playa Majana on Wednesday afternoon and moved through with force, causing significant damage in several areas of Artemisa, including Alquízar and Güira de Melena, where flooding has left entire neighborhoods underwater.
Rafael tore off roofs from homes and commercial buildings, uprooted trees, and caused one of the light towers at the Artemisa Baseball Stadium to topple.
At the provincial hospital, the storm tore off metal windows, compromising the safety of several areas of the building and forcing emergency services to increase their efforts to protect patients and medical staff.
In addition to the affected housing, the urban and agricultural infrastructure of the region also sustained significant damage.
The crop plantations in Güira de Melena, known for their food production for the western region of Cuba, have been partially destroyed.
Trees uprooted, blocked irrigation channels, and impassable rural roads are some of the scenes left in the wake of the hurricane, complicating not only daily life but also food supplies in the coming weeks.
The losses in this sector are estimated to be significant, and they are expected to impact both the local economy and food security in other provinces.
The hurricane left Cuban territory through the Bay of Cabañas around 7:00 p.m., at category 2. However, residual effects are still being felt in the western part of the country, where rain and winds continue to pose a threat of further flash floods and landslides.
This Thursday, authorities are expected to make progress in assessing the damage to homes and affected public entities. Furthermore, rescue and rapid response teams are anticipated to be deployed to the most impacted areas.
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