The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday ahead of landfall in Cuba as it headed toward the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

Hurricane Rafael rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane in the Caribbean and is a few hours away from slamming into Cuba. The powerful hurricane is the fifth major hurricane of the year in the Atlantic and the strongest in the basin this late in the year since 2020.

Cuba has suffered a nationwide blackout as Hurricane Rafael brings winds of up to 185km/h (115mph) to the Caribbean island. A statement from the country's national energy company said "strong winds caused by the major hurricane Rafael caused the shutdown of the national electricity system" and that emergency protocols had been activated.