Cuba Faces Imminent Hurricane Oscar Amid Ongoing Power Crisis
Cuba is bracing for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Oscar, which is expected to make landfall on the eastern part of the island later today. The hurricane, with sustained winds of up to 130 km/h, is set to exacerbate the already dire situation as the country enters its third night without electricity due to a massive blackout. The Cuban government has assured that power will be restored to the majority of the population by Monday evening, following a significant outage caused by the shutdown of the main thermoelectric plant in Matanzas.
As authorities work to protect the population and economic resources in the face of Hurricane Oscar, President Miguel Díaz-Canel has stated that efforts are underway to restore electrical service. "We can talk about the fact that between tomorrow, Monday morning, afternoon, or evening, the service will be restored to the majority of Cubans," said Vicente de la O Levy, the Minister of Energy and Mines. Currently, approximately 16% of consumers have regained power, with 500 megawatts being generated, a stark contrast to the 3,300 megawatts consumed on Thursday before the outage.
Ongoing Energy Emergency and Public Sentiment
Cuba is grappling with its worst energy crisis in thirty years, compounded by the tightening U.S. embargo and difficulties in procuring fuel for power generation. The energy deficit reached a staggering 50% recently, leading to prolonged outages that have left most neighborhoods in Havana and other cities in darkness. Essential services, including hospitals and hotels, are operating on emergency generators, while many residents are left without access to electricity, internet, or basic comforts.
Residents express growing frustration as they endure the heat and humidity without fans or cooling systems. The situation has led to increased stress among the population, with many struggling to cope with the daily challenges posed by the blackout. Reports indicate that power outages were a significant factor in the protests that erupted on July 11, 2021, and the island experienced a similar blackout following Hurricane Ian in September 2022, which took weeks to fully resolve. As Hurricane Oscar approaches, the Cuban government is under pressure to restore power and ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens.
