Hurricane Oscar slammed into Cuba, exacerbating the country’s nationwide power outage as residents faced dwindling resources and chaos. The Category 1 storm hit eastern Cuba, bringing winds of nearly 130 km/h and waves of up to four meters high in Baracoa, causing widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
Cuba’s largest power plant collapsed on Friday, leading to the failure of the national power grid and leaving most of the country without electricity. President Miguel Diaz-Canel assured residents that power would be restored by Monday night, but many still remain in the dark, facing a shortage of basic necessities like food and water.
The blackout comes amid Cuba’s worst economic crisis since the 1990s, worsened by high inflation, fuel shortages, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector. Many Cubans have emigrated in search of better opportunities, while protests against the government’s handling of the crisis have led to arrests and unrest.
Despite efforts to improve the grid with temporary power solutions, Cuba continues to face challenges in providing stable electricity, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions to prevent future crises.