Rafael is expected to make landfall in Cuba as a hurricane.
Hurricane Rafael is expected to rapidly intensify until making landfall in western Cuba, where it's forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane.Rafael swirled past the Cayman Islands and was expected to rapidly intensify before making landfall on Wednesday in western Cuba, where it's forecast to hit as a Category 2 hurricane.
The storm was located about 120 miles southeast of the Isle of Youth, and around 195 miles south-southeast of Havana. It had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and was moving northwest at 14 mph , according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. On Tuesday morning, the Cuban Civil Defense called on Cubans to prepare as soon as possible, because when the storm makes landfall "it's important to stay where you are." The day before, authorities said they had issued an evacuation order for 37,000 people in far eastern Cuba, in the province of Guantanamo, due to bad weather.
Meanwhile, crews in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were expected to fan out early Wednesday to assess damage after a direct hit late Tuesday."While conditions have improved on Grand Cayman, residents are advised to exercise extreme caution on the roads and near coastlines as rough seas and residual flooding risks may persist," the government said in a statement.
Hurricane Hurricane Cuba Storm Rafael Rafael Path 15517020
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