Tropical Storm Rafael Looms: Caribbean Braces for Impact

Tropical Storm Rafael is intensifying as it nears the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean, with the potential to become a hurricane soon. Residents across the Caribbean, including Jamaica and Cuba, are bracing for impact. The storm could disrupt oil and gas production along the Gulf Coast.

The National Hurricane Center has reported that Tropical Storm Rafael is rapidly strengthening, with predictions that it could soon develop into a hurricane as it approaches the Cayman Islands. The storm currently has maximum sustained winds reaching 70 mph, following a near-miss with western Jamaica earlier in the day.

Jamaican residents have taken cover as heavy rainfall batters the island, while emergency shelters have been set up. In anticipation of the storm's approach, the Cayman Islands' government is preparing for potential damage to vital infrastructure, including power and water lines. School closures have also been announced for Wednesday.

The storm poses a significant threat to Cuba's already fragile power grid and could escalate to a Category 3 hurricane. Oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico have preemptively reduced production, forecasting significant potential losses in oil and gas output.

(With inputs from agencies.)