The floods that occurred in the Guantanamo municipality of San Antonio del Sur during the passage of Hurricane Oscar have left haunting images.
"San Antonio del Sur hurts," wrote journalist Miguel Reyes on Facebook early Tuesday morning, who documented the magnitude of the flooding in that Guantanamo locality with videos and photos.
"The passage through the Los Naranjos area is difficult and prevents light vehicle traffic due to a landslide. Many fallen trees and poles, in addition to river floods, obstruct access to other roads," he described.
The source added that the San Antonio hospital sustained structural damage and losses of supplies.
He detailed, moreover, that "the cultural neighborhood" has been completely destroyed, and that many banana and root vegetable plantations are devastated.
Regarding the houses, many have been completely destroyed and others have partial damage.
In some cases, even though the houses did not suffer structural damage, the residents lost many of their appliances and belongings due to the floods.
"Many San Antonians were saved by accessing their rooftops or taking shelter on higher floors; others were caught off guard by the river's rise. San Antonio is experiencing great sorrow. Several people have been direct victims of the impacts of Oscar as it passed through that area," he concluded.
Hurricane Oscar, which made landfall in Cuba on October 20, has left a trail of destruction in the eastern part of the country, with the province of Guantánamo being the most affected.
With a preliminary toll of six deceased, the situation remains critical, especially in the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur and Imías, which suffered unprecedented flooding.
Authorities warn that this number could increase due to the difficult conditions in the most affected areas.
The deceased, all residents of San Antonio del Sur, have been identified as Francisco Colombia Matos (92 years old); Esmeraldo Noa Fiffe (82); Antolino Areas Domínguez (84); Alexander Saben Matos (42); Irianni Labañino Domínguez (31 years old) and the five-year-old child.
Although the massive blackout that kept the country in the dark since noon last Friday made it difficult for Cubans to be informed about the arrival of the weather phenomenon, the Cuban government claims that evacuations were carried out.
In total, more than 15,000 people were evacuated: 9,000 in Imías and 6,000 in San Antonio del Sur.
The images of desolation in these particular areas are striking, with flooded homes, lost food, and many families struggling to recover the little that remained dry.
Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez highlighted in an emergency meeting that, although initially Oscar seemed like "a small cyclone," its strength and speed turned it into a devastating phenomenon for the eastern region of the country.
Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) are participating in the initial rescue efforts, particularly in the areas most affected by the floodwaters, which reached heights of up to one meter.
Recovery efforts are already underway, but the challenge is immense in a country facing a deep economic crisis and in all areas.
The passage of Hurricane Oscar through Guantánamo has left a toll of destruction and death that will mark the province for a long time. Although the cyclone is already moving away from Cuba, the recovery efforts are just beginning.
With thousands of people still evacuated and large areas of the province without access, the challenge for the authorities and the people of Guantánamo will be monumental.
"All of Cuba in function of Guantánamo," Miguel Díaz-Canel declared recently.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under:
