Passenger train Manzanillo-Havana suffers derailment in Las Tunas.

In the early morning of August 26, the national train No. 18, covering the route Manzanillo-Havana, derailed in the municipality of Jobabo, Las Tunas.

The accident occurred at 00:05 hours at the level crossing of the Jobabo station, affecting the front part of the locomotive. Despite the potential severity of the incident, authorities confirmed that there were no injuries or significant material damage.

"The accident, which did not result in any injuries or material damage, occurred at the level crossing of the Jobabo station, km 37.900, Bayamo line. The alert plan and the measures to be taken in a situation like this were activated," stated on Facebook the company Rutas Nacionales, specialized in managing passenger transportation by rail.

On board the train were 159 children, 72 elderly people, two pregnant women, and 18 individuals with special needs, all of whom are in good health. According to preliminary reports, the recent rains in the region may have caused damage to the railway track, which could have led to the derailment.

Immediately after the incident, an emergency plan was activated that included the mobilization of political and governmental authorities from Las Tunas, as well as railway personnel from the provinces of Granma and Santiago de Cuba. Thanks to these efforts, the train's journey was resumed with the assistance of a locomotive coming from Santiago de Cuba.

Digno Ortiz Vega, deputy director of Ferrocarriles Granma, informed La Demajagua that special attention was given to the most vulnerable passengers, providing them with food, water, and medical care. The company Rutas Nacionales expressed regret over the incident and committed to minimizing inconveniences for passengers.

This incident underscores the importance of maintaining railway infrastructure in optimal condition, especially during the rainy season, to ensure the safety of travelers.

The intense rains that fell last Saturday in the eastern half of Cuba caused flooding in Jobabo, Las Tunas, where the water accumulated in the streets submerged homes and state institutions.

At the end of June 2023, nine homes were affected after the passage of a severe local storm in the city of Jobabo. Two complete roof collapses, one wall knocked down, as well as other partial damages to house infrastructure, fallen trees, and damage to electrical and telephone lines were reported after the passage of the natural phenomenon.

It was the third storm recorded in that locality since late April of last year. In addition to the flooding caused by the intense rains, Jobabo suffers from the deterioration of public infrastructure, such as the Cine-Teatro 30 de Diciembre, whose roof collapsed in June 2022, rendering it completely unusable.

At the end of March of this year, the state-controlled press denounced the state of abandonment of the "Río Jobabo" popular camping facilities, located in the southeast of the province of Las Tunas, highlighting that these facilities "are a sad picture of glorious years reduced to dirt, decay, and, in some places, waste."