Isla de la Juventud, a special municipality of Cuba, experienced minimal impact from the recent passage of Hurricane Rafael. Predominantly, the island was affected by the storm's outer bands, leading to strong winds and rain but avoiding major damage.
The National Defense Council assessed the situation, categorizing the damage as "minor," with some effects on both residential areas and state institutions. Notably, the most significant issues were reported in Cayo Largo del Sur.
Electricity Restoration Efforts
Concerning the electrical service, it has been reported that 55.7% of the power has been restored, with expectations of complete recovery by the end of the day. According to Jeordanis Suárez Rodríguez, director of the Electric Company in this special municipality, efforts initiated on Wednesday afternoon, when weather conditions permitted, have enabled approximately 18,677 residents to regain electricity, accounting for 55.73% of the service's customers in this area.
Community and Institutional Response
On social media, accounts linked to educational institutions have begun sharing images of cleanup and reorganization activities. "We have been at the center since early morning for recovery and sanitization," noted the profile of the Internal Center "Roberto Rodríguez Llorca." A similar update was shared by the Basic Secondary School "José Rafael Varona Berríos."
Tourism Sector Unscathed
The "El Colony" hotel, located on the Siguanea road, reported no damage. They shared images of the Gran Caribe facility post-hurricane, with a focus on organizing, cleaning, and preparing the hotel for operation.
Evacuation Measures and Broader Impact
Prior to Rafael's arrival, 758 individuals were evacuated from Cayo Largo del Sur via 10 flights, as reported by Cuba's Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila. The evacuations took place on November 4th and 5th, facilitated by Cubana de Aviación, Aerogaviota, and the Canadian airline Sunwing.
Hurricane Rafael reached Cuba on the evening of November 6th, primarily affecting the western region, including Havana. With maximum winds of 115 mph, the storm caused significant structural damage, uprooting trees and toppling power and telephone poles. This led to a collapse of the electrical grid, leaving approximately 10 million people without power.