On the night of 27 January 2019, at 20:20 CST, an unusually violent and destructive tornado ripped through the Cuban capital Havana.

The EF4 tornado toppled trees and utility poles, destroyed cars and sent debris flying as it passed through the city.

It was assigned an official rating of EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale by the Cuban Meteorology Institute, making this the first F4 or EF4 tornado in Cuba since 1999.

Concrete frame buildings sustained major structural damage, and cars were thrown or crushed under debris.

[6] The municipalities most affected were Diez de Octubre, Cerro, Guanabacoa, Regla, and San Miguel del Padrón.

[8] Nineteen medical infrastructures suffered extensive damage, including polyclinics, general practitioner clinics, nursing homes and pharmacies.

On 27 January, at 20:00, President Bermúdez arranged a meeting with the Council of Ministers to discuss the progress made on recovery efforts.