(Reuters) -Hurricane Rafael is passing through the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and is forecast to rapidly intensify before making landfall in western Cuba, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Cuba is bracing for Hurricane Rafael, which is expected to make landfall Wednesday and compound the misery wrought by a recent power blackout and Hurricane Oscar.The storm was expected to gain further power before making landfall in western Cuba.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Rafael chugged toward the Cayman Islands on Tuesday and was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane en route to Cuba. The storm was located 105 miles (170 kilometers) southwest of Kingston, Jamaica, early Tuesday.