Hurricane Oscar Ravages Cuba: At Least Six Lives Lost and Widespread Blackouts

At least six fatalities have been reported following the landfall of Hurricane Oscar in Cuba, where it struck as a category one storm near Baracoa on Sunday. The president, Miguel Díaz-Canel, confirmed the tragic loss and noted significant damage in the province of Guantánamo, with heavy winds and rainfall impacting more than 1,000 homes. The storm has since weakened to a tropical storm but is expected to bring additional flash flooding to the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands as it progresses northeast.Oscar made its impact particularly severe as it coincided with a nationwide power cut, leaving around 10 million Cubans without electricity. The president reported that certain locations remain cut off and inaccessible, complicating rescue efforts in hard-hit areas like San Antonio and Imías, which experienced unprecedented flooding. The six fatalities occurred in San Antonio, though details on the circumstances surrounding these deaths remain sparse. The dire situation has sparked protests among frustrated Cubans insisting on the restoration of electricity, with some resorting to banging pots and chanting demands for power return. Although power outages are a frequent occurrence in Cuba, the recent blackouts stemmed from the failure of the country's largest power plant, igniting public outrage against the government's handling of the crisis. President Díaz-Canel attributed the power outages to the decades-long US trade embargo, asserting that the state would tirelessly work to restore services. Meanwhile, citizens expressed their growing discontent over prolonged difficulties with electricity and shortages of basic supplies. One resident conveyed their distress, stating, “My 85-year-old grandmother has been asking me for cold water since Friday”, highlighting the human toll of the government’s struggle to meet essential needs amidst ongoing economic turmoil.