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'Apocalyptic' photos show Cuba plunged into darkness after Hurricane Ian triggers outage

Millions of Cubans remained in the dark Wednesday after Hurricane Ian hurtled through the country, triggering an island-wide power outage on its devastating path to Florida.

Ian hit Cuba's western tip as a powerful Category 3 storm Tuesday as the country was already facing economic crisis and frequent power outages.

After the country's power grid collapsed, crews worked overnight to restore power to Cuba's 11 million residents, Cuba's Electric Union said in a statement.

The storm also caused tens of thousands of residents to flee.  Flooding and high winds damaged houses and toppled trees. No deaths were reported as of Tuesday night.

“It was apocalyptic, a real disaster,” said Hirochi Robaina, owner of a farm that was among a swath of tobacco farms hit hard by the storm in the island's tobacco region.

LIVE COVERAGE: Hurricane Ian nears historic Category 5 status, closes in on Florida

HURRICANE TRACKER: Where is Ian headed next? See the map.

Below, see photos of Cuba plunged into darkness.

People in Havana play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.
People in Havana play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.
A man walks through a flooded street in front of a hotel powered by an oil generator during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.
A man walks through a flooded street in front of a hotel powered by an oil generator during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.
The El Capitolio Nacional building is seen during a blackout in Havana, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
The El Capitolio Nacional building is seen during a blackout in Havana, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
A man watches as the waves break on the boardwalk in Havana, Cuba.
A man watches as the waves break on the boardwalk in Havana, Cuba.
Two tourists talk in the middle of the street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
Two tourists talk in the middle of the street during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
People play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
People play dominoes by flashlight during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
A man uses his cell phone on a street in Havana during a blackout on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
A man uses his cell phone on a street in Havana during a blackout on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022.
A couple walks down the middle of a street in the dark during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
A couple walks down the middle of a street in the dark during a blackout in Havana, Cuba.
A bus passes in front of the capitol during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.
A bus passes in front of the capitol during a blackout in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cuba sees damage from Hurricane Ian, power outages continue: Photos