Cuba initiates power restoration efforts following hurricane-induced nationwide outage

Cuban authorities have initiated efforts to reinstate electricity following a countrywide power outage on Wednesday, which the nation’s president attributed to Hurricane Rafael. Hurricane Rafael generated powerful winds reaching speeds of up to 185km/h (115mph), leading to the disruption of Cuba’s electrical grid for the second occasion within a few weeks. Prior to the storm’s arrival on Wednesday, a minimum of 70,000 individuals were evacuated from their residences amidst alerts for storm surges, flash floods, and mudslides. There have been no reported deaths. According to President Miguel Díaz-Canel, the provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque, along with the capital city of Havana, experienced significant impact. He further stated, “Every step from this point forward is geared towards recovery. Together we will do it.” Extensive flooding and property damage were observed across the western regions of the nation due to the hurricane. The majority of the country’s 10 million inhabitants remain without electricity. On Thursday, residents in Havana utilized shovels, brooms, and buckets to remove debris, mud, and branches while evaluating the extent of the damage. Along the motorway stretching from the western part of the capital to Artemisa, downed electricity pylons were visible, and communities situated along this path were littered with branches and wreckage from damaged residences. An Artemisa resident indicated that individuals were compelled to “improvise” in response to the electricity outages. Elias Perez commented, “If you don’t have gas, you have to improvise with coal. Yesterday my wife and I got by with coal. It’s a mess, but we have to keep going.” The previous month, millions of Cubans experienced a four-day power loss due to problems with the nation’s aging energy infrastructure, which resulted in a blackout. This prior blackout coincided with Hurricane Oscar, a less intense Category One storm that caused devastation along the island’s north-eastern coastline. Natalia Martinez, also from Artemisa, remarked: “We know how to survive, we’re in the dark all the time, you know.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.