Hurricane Rafael expected to rapidly intensify as it barrels toward Cuba as a Cat. 2 storm

Hurricane Rafael is projected to rapidly intensify and make landfall in western Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane, compounding recent struggles with recovery from a previous storm.

Forecasters have warned that Rafael will cause significant flooding, storm surges, and mudslides, prompting the Cuban Civil Defense to advise citizens to prepare and stay indoors during landfall.

The U.S. State Department has recommended non-essential staff and American citizens in Cuba to consider departing due to the impending impacts of Hurricane Rafael.

As authorities urged 37,000 people in eastern Cuba to evacuate, hurricane warnings were issued for multiple Cuban provinces and the Cayman Islands, indicating the seriousness of the threat.

Read at ABC7 San Francisco