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| Whole of Cuba loses power as Hurricane Rafael hits | Whole of Cuba loses power as Hurricane Rafael hits |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Havana resident Araselys Rodriguez makes coffee during the blackout | Havana resident Araselys Rodriguez makes coffee during the blackout |
| Cuba has suffered a nationwide blackout as Hurricane Rafael brings winds of up to 185km/h (115mph) to the Caribbean island. | Cuba has suffered a nationwide blackout as Hurricane Rafael brings winds of up to 185km/h (115mph) to the Caribbean island. |
| A statement from the country's national energy company said "strong winds caused by the major hurricane Rafael caused the shutdown of the national electricity system". | |
| At least 70,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as the category-three storm made landfall on Wednesday evening with warnings of storm surges, flash flooding, and mudslides. | |
| It comes just weeks after millions were left without power for four days following a blackout caused by issues with the country's creaking energy infrastructure. The incident also coincided with Hurricane Oscar, which killed at least six people. | It comes just weeks after millions were left without power for four days following a blackout caused by issues with the country's creaking energy infrastructure. The incident also coincided with Hurricane Oscar, which killed at least six people. |
| Rafael made landfall in the western province of Artemisa, near capital Havana, at around 16:15 local time (21:15 GMT), the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. | |
| The NHC said the storm would bring heavy rains across western Cuba through Thursday and that storm surges could pose a danger to life. | The NHC said the storm would bring heavy rains across western Cuba through Thursday and that storm surges could pose a danger to life. |
| Rafael is expected to weaken slightly as it crosses the island but to still be a hurricane when it emerges into the Gulf of Mexico. | Rafael is expected to weaken slightly as it crosses the island but to still be a hurricane when it emerges into the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Heavy rains are also expected in the Cayman Islands, while a tropical storm warning is in force in the Florida Keys. | Heavy rains are also expected in the Cayman Islands, while a tropical storm warning is in force in the Florida Keys. |
| Last month, around 10 million people in Cuba were left without power following a blackout caused by maintenance issues and a lack of fuel to run power stations. | Last month, around 10 million people in Cuba were left without power following a blackout caused by maintenance issues and a lack of fuel to run power stations. |
| That blackout also coincided with Hurricane Oscar, a less powerful category one storm that left a trail of destruction along the island's north-eastern coast. | That blackout also coincided with Hurricane Oscar, a less powerful category one storm that left a trail of destruction along the island's north-eastern coast. |
| The worst-affected area was the eastern province of Guantánamo, where more than 1,000 homes were damaged by heavy rains and strong winds. | The worst-affected area was the eastern province of Guantánamo, where more than 1,000 homes were damaged by heavy rains and strong winds. |
| British tourist Klara Kszczotek said she was not worried about the impact of Hurricane Rafael. | British tourist Klara Kszczotek said she was not worried about the impact of Hurricane Rafael. |
| “I guess we are not really scared, because we are watching the news and so on, so for now I think we are fine,” she said. | “I guess we are not really scared, because we are watching the news and so on, so for now I think we are fine,” she said. |