Havana, Nov. 7 (BNA):  Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and knocked out the country’s power grid.

The magnitude of the impact remained unclear through the early hours of the day, but forecasters warned that Hurricane Rafael could bring “life-threatening” storm surges, winds and flash floods to Cuba after ravaging parts of the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, according to the Associated Press (AP).

On Wednesday evening, massive waves lashed Havana’s shores as sharp winds and rain whipped at the historic cityscape, leaving trees littered on flooded roads.  Much of the city was dark and deserted.

As it plowed across Cuba, the storm slowed to a Category 2 hurricane chugging into the Gulf of Mexico near northern Mexico and southern Texas, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Classes and public transport were suspended on parts of the island and authorities cancelled flights in and out of Havana and Varadero.  Thousands of people in the west of the island were evacuated as a preventative measure.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted the 2024 hurricane season was likely to be well above average, with between 17 and 25 named storms.  The forecast called for as many as 13 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

H.K, A.A