"Cuba's national electrical grid collapsed as Hurricane Rafael slammed into the island's southwest shore, packing sustained winds of 185kh and wreaking havoc on the already crisis-stricken country.

The hurricane was churning about 75km southwest of Cuba's capital Havana late in the afternoon, lashing the capital city of nearly two million people with driving rain and violent wind gusts.

The Miami-based NHC warned of a "life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds and flash flooding" across much of western Cuba. The region, including Havana, remained under a hurricane warning."

RTÉ had the story November 6, 2024. [2]