Tropical storm Oscar has been causing chaos in Cuba, as it made landfall as a hurricane, exacerbating the country’s nationwide power outage. The collapse of the largest power plant has left residents struggling with limited access to electricity, on top of existing shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and water.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel has assured that power will be restored for most of the country by tonight, as the storm continues to move across eastern Cuba. The situation has led to public unrest in some neighborhoods of Havana, with residents demanding the restoration of power.
The power grid failure has been attributed to the unexpected shutdown of the largest coal-fired power plant, leading to a chain reaction across the island. The government has been facing challenges in acquiring fuel for power plants, exacerbated by the tightening of the US trade embargo.
Cuba’s economic crisis, worsened by the pandemic and mismanagement, has pushed many Cubans to emigrate. The government has been taking steps to improve the grid, with the leasing of floating power plants from Turkish companies.
The country’s struggles with power outages have sparked public protests in the past, highlighting the frustrations and challenges faced by the Cuban people.