Latest news Most of Cuba has power again - seven dead after hurricane
A good four days after the island-wide power outage in Cuba, more than 70 percent of connections have electricity again, according to government figures.
23.10.2024, 04:06
SDA
On Tuesday, the areas where the supply had not yet been restored continued to include those in the eastern province of Guantánamo, where hurricane "Oscar" had caused severe flooding and damage on Sunday.
The number of confirmed storm fatalities in the communist-ruled Caribbean state has now risen to seven, including a five-year-old child. According to official information, party and state representatives are only gradually reaching the worst-affected areas of the island, which has already been groaning for years under one of its worst economic crises since Fidel Castro's revolution in 1959.
Power grid collapsed several times
On Friday, the collapse of the completely ailing power grid caused the total blackout. The system collapsed several times when trying to restart it. Due to the outdated grid, Cuba has been suffering from frequent power cuts for years, sometimes lasting more than twelve hours a day in some places.
The authoritarian government blames the embargo that has been in place for more than 60 years and other sanctions imposed by the USA for the fact that Cuba cannot buy enough fuel and spare parts. Cuban economist Pedro Monreal criticized on Platform X that the state is investing an excessive amount of money in the tourism sector compared to the low level of investment in the ailing infrastructure, despite low visitor numbers.
The little food spoils
Without electricity, many Cuban households are also unable to get tap water because electric pumps are used. What's more, the little food they have stored in the fridge or freezer goes bad.
The discontent over the difficult living conditions has erupted in several small protests in various places over the past few days. President Miguel Díaz-Canel spoke of drunks behaving indecently. They would not allow the peace to be disturbed.
Long power cuts have repeatedly been the cause of demonstrations in recent years, with some participants also demanding freedom or a change of system. Hundreds of people are imprisoned in Cuba for their participation in peaceful protests, including German citizen Luis Frómeta Compte.
