Rafael weakens to a tropical storm over the Gulf of Mexico after making landfall in Cuba as a hurricane

MEXICO CITY (AP) – Rafael weakened Saturday to a tropical storm and was expected to dissipate over the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days after passing Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane.

Rafael is located 290 miles (470 km) northwest of Progreso, Mexico on Saturday. It had sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 6 mph (9 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

It was forecast to continue moving south towards southern Mexico in the coming days as it weakened. Forecasters warned that the storm surge could cause “life-threatening tidal and flood conditions” in the region.

The storm battered Jamaica and the Cayman Islands earlier in the week, knocking out power and fueling mudslides. On Wednesday evening, it entered Cuba, causing yet another headache on the island.

Rafael’s powerful winds knocked out power in Cuba, forced the evacuation of 283,000 people and destroyed 461 homes. It also left trees, power lines and debris strewn across flooded roads. Many were still without power over the weekend, although the Cuban government said it was busy restoring electricity to homes.

On Friday, state media in Cuba reported that Russia said it would donate 80,000 tons of diesel to Cuba, and offered to ship equipment for $62 million as the communist-led government struggled to pick up the pieces after the storm.

Rafael followed several weeks in the Caribbean nation, after the island’s power was out for several days and another powerful storm killed at least six people.