As the center of Rafael moved on to the Gulf, parts of western Cuba were experiencing "life-threatening storm surge" and flash flooding, the hurricane center said Wednesday evening. All the while, the island's entire population of 10 million was once again left in the dark,

The National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Rafael grew into a major Category 3 storm Wednesday and made landfall in Cuba on its way into the Gulf of Mexico, while the Florida Keys remained under a tropical storm warning.

After slamming Cuba as a Category 3 storm, Hurricane Rafael is forecast to decrease in speed while heading west into the Gulf of Mexico in coming days, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.