Hurricane Rafael Weakens but Leaves Trail of Destruction

Hurricane Rafael weakened into a tropical storm as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico, having devastated Cuba by knocking out power and collapsing homes. It caused widespread damage across the Caribbean, prompting warnings of dangerous conditions in Mexico as it continues to weaken.

Hurricane Rafael, now downgraded to a tropical storm, continued its trajectory through the Gulf of Mexico on Friday. After wreaking havoc in Cuba, where it decimated the power grid and destroyed hundreds of homes, the storm is expected to lose strength as it moves westward.

In a Friday night update, the National Hurricane Center in Miami located the storm 240 miles north of Progreso, Mexico, with sustained winds reaching 70 mph. Mexican authorities have issued warnings over potential life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, urging residents in Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan states to prepare for the impact.

The hurricane had previously lashed Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, prompting evacuations and causing severe flooding. In Cuba, at least 283,000 were evacuated, and efforts to restore power in Havana have returned electricity to some 143,000 homes. The storm's wrath has compounded existing challenges faced by the Caribbean nation, including widespread blackouts and energy shortages.

(With inputs from agencies.)