HAVANA (Reuters) -Cuba's national electrical grid collapsed on Wednesday as Hurricane Rafael slammed into the island's southwest shore, packing sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) and wreaking havoc on the already crisis-stricken country.

Cuba is reeling after a powerful Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and fierce winds knocked out the country’s power grid.

Rafael made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon in western Cuba before weakening, the National Hurricane Center said.In a 10 p.m. update, the center said Rafael was moving away from western Cuba as it headed to the southeastern Gulf of Mexico,