Several neighborhoods in Havana woke up this Monday morning in between debris being hit last night by a powerful tornado that caused the death of three people, injured 172 and caused serious material damage.

"The strength of the tornado winds can be compared to that of a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, although its impact is more focused," the Cuba debate official website reported.

AFP reporters found several streets of the Luyanó neighborhood, in the Municipality 10 de Octubre, full of debris. Some of the balconies of the buildings had collapsed, while poles and fallen trees were blocking the tracks.

Rescuers with trucks and forklifts spent the early morning picking up debris and trying to clear the affected roads.

The tornado occurred in the middle of an expected storm that already affected the western part of Cuba, with gusts of up to 100 km per hour and penetration of the sea. This lasted early Monday morning

The meteorologist explained that this phenomenon occurred due to an extratropical drop that descended from the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and entered through the west of the island.

🚨 Un fuerte tornado 🌪 deja 172 heridos 🤕 y al menos tres muertos en La Habana, Cuba 🇨🇺

video: @Yusnaby pic.twitter.com/VAUsnmE5Su

— SASSLA (@SafeLiveAlert) January 28, 2019

En fotos, tornado golpea La Habana #Cuba #LaHabana #28Ene pic.twitter.com/fZbcVLgeYZ

— Yasel Toledo Garnache (Cuenta alterna) (@YaselToledo10) January 28, 2019

Nota completa aquí.