In brief
Cuba begins its recovery journey, grappling with extensive power outages as it copes with the aftermath of Hurricane Rafael's devastation.
Cuba is undertaking significant efforts to restore power after a nationwide blackout occurred on Wednesday, triggered by the fierce winds of Hurricane Rafael. The storm, which reached speeds of 185 km/h (115 mph), caused the entire electric grid to fail, marking the second such incident in recent weeks. In the lead-up to the hurricane, authorities evacuated at least 70,000 residents from vulnerable areas, anticipating storm surges, flash flooding, and mudslides. Thankfully, there have been no reported fatalities.President Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted the severity of the situation, particularly in provinces like Artemisa and Mayabeque, as well as in the capital, Havana. "Every step from this point forward is geared towards recovery. Together we will do it," he stated, emphasizing the national commitment to restoration efforts.The aftermath of the hurricane has left widespread flooding and destruction in western regions of the country, leaving the majority of Cuba’s 10 million residents without electricity. In Havana, citizens have taken to clearing debris, mud, and fallen branches as they assess the extensive damage left in the wake of the storm. Along the motorway leading from the capital to Artemisa, toppled electricity pylons and wreckage from damaged buildings paint a stark picture of the storm's impact.Residents are finding creative solutions to cope with the power outages. One local, Elias Perez from Artemisa, mentioned, "If you don't have gas, you have to improvise with coal," as he and his wife relied on coal for cooking in the absence of power. "It's a mess, but we have to keep going," he added.This latest blackout follows a previous incident last month where millions were left in darkness for four days due to failures in the aging energy infrastructure, coinciding with Hurricane Oscar—a less severe storm that still caused significant damage. Another resident, Natalia Martinez, remarked on the resilience of the Cuban people, saying, "We know how to survive; we're in the dark all the time, you know."
