Recovery work to restore power and clean up debris in Cuba is underway after Hurricane Rafael lashed the country on Wednesday, knocking out the power grid and causing damage to properties and other infrastructure on the island before heading into the Gulf of Mexico.
No fatalities have been reported so far.
Power is gradually returning in the eastern and central parts of the country, but it will take more time for the western region to restore power as it was hit harder by the hurricane, the local energy authority said on Thursday afternoon.
Several airports in central and western Cuba had resumed operations by midday Thursday.
The storm severely affected the provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque, along with the capital Havana, damaging telecommunication base stations, high-voltage power poles, and fiber optic cables.
In Artemisa, an important farming region, about 9,000 hectares of banana plantations and 3,800 hectares of cassava fields suffered varying degrees of damage, along with crops such as rice, beans, maize, and tobacco.
Infrastructure on the island suffered severe damage, including the local stadium where one of its light towers was knocked down by powerful hurricane winds.
Residents vividly remember the terrifying moments when the hurricane struck.
"Wednesday was my birthday. I never expected something like this to happen on my 61st birthday. I saw the stadium collapse in an instant. The tower fell as if in slow motion. It was so terrifying. I was shocked by it all. I saw military and workers cleaning the streets, and the whole town is working to get things back to normal. I believe we will recover soon,” said Leonardo Prieto, a resident.
"My heart is broken. Truly. Me, my neighbors—you see my brother, his house is destroyed and look at mine. The hurricane destroyed my house and everything inside it. I have nothing left, nothing at all," said Susana Gómez, another resident.
"I was inside my home with my family when the storm severely damaged the house and knocked down my plantations," said Pedro Luis Trujillo, a farmer.
Recovery work under way as hurricane Rafael severely damages Cuba's infrastructure, crops, and communities
