Hurricane Rafael knocked out power to all of Cuba on Wednesday as it slammed into the cash-strapped island, which was still reeling from a recent blackout and a previous deadly storm. Rafael strengthened to a major Category 3 hurricane as it raced towards the Caribbean island of 10 million people.

The Category 3 storm knocked out the country's entire power grid just before making landfall, making it almost impossible for people to receive radio or television updates.