Hurricane Oscar, which made landfall in Cuba on October 20, has left a trail of destruction in the eastern part of the country, with Guantánamo province 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 figure could rise 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 boy, Luís Andis Elías Labañino.
Evacuations
Although the massive blackout that left the country in the dark since noon last Friday made it difficult for Cubans to stay informed about the arrival of the weather phenomenon, the Cuban government argues that evacuations were indeed 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 localities are shocking, with flooded homes, lost food, and many families struggling to recover the little that remained dry.
Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez emphasized in an emergency meeting that, although Oscar initially seemed "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 water, which reached heights of up to one meter.
Destruction of homes and infrastructure
The most severe damage to infrastructure has been concentrated in the municipalities of Baracoa and Maisí, where the winds and rains from Oscar destroyed hundreds of homes.
In Baracoa, there are currently 743 houses with roof damage and 51 that suffered partial collapses.
In Maisí, the situation is even more severe: 340 homes completely lost their roofs and another 667 suffered partial damage, according to data published by the newspaper Granma.
State facilities were not immune to the impact of the hurricane: warehouses, stores, pharmacies, and schools were damaged, and authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the damage.
In agriculture, coffee, one of the main crops in the region, was the most affected, which could have a significant impact on the local economy in the medium term.
Recovery efforts
Recovery efforts are already underway, but the challenge is huge in a country experiencing a deep economic crisis in every aspect.
In some parts of the province of Guantánamo, such as on the famous La Farola road, landslides have blocked traffic, making it difficult to access isolated communities.
The rescue teams and the crews responsible for assessing the damage are still working on the ground, which has prevented a full assessment of the hurricane's impact.
Colonel Luis Ángel Macareño, deputy chief of the National Civil Defense General Staff, explained that Guantánamo is undoubtedly the most affected province in eastern Cuba.
In an intervention on state television, Colonel Argenis Perales Pérez, head of the Operations Department of the National Civil Defense Staff, emphasized that rescue efforts continue to be a priority, with brigades from the FAR, the Red Cross, and the MININT working in the most affected areas.
Data on rainfall and effects in other provinces
Oscar's passage also brought heavy rains to other provinces in eastern Cuba. In Holguín, accumulations of up to 48.6 millimeters of rain were recorded in the last 12 hours, while the reservoirs in the province were at 73.3% of their capacity.
In Granma, the precipitation mainly affected the mountainous municipalities, which are under constant surveillance due to the risk of landslides.
In Santiago de Cuba, the main impact has been seen in the coffee harvest.
Authorities have started the collection of about 32,000 cans of the grain to prevent losses due to humidity.
In Las Tunas, around 14,000 residents were protected, while the province has experienced seawater intrusion and storm surges in several coastal areas.
Devastation in Maisí and Baracoa
The municipality of Maisí, one of the hardest hit by the hurricane, reported severe damage to the roofs of several houses, including the petro houses in the La Punta popular council and the Sabana polyclinic.
The torrential rains caused numerous rivers to overflow, further worsening the situation in the most vulnerable communities.
The weather station in Punta de Maisí recorded 366 millimeters of precipitation in 24 hours, a figure that illustrates the magnitude of the disaster.
In other areas, such as the Caujerí Valley and Jamal, in Baracoa, 268 mm and 208.2 mm were recorded, respectively.
Although the center of the tropical storm Oscar has already left Cuban territory, the rains will continue to affect the eastern part of the country in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Meteorologists warn that, although the winds have decreased, the risk of new flooding persists in areas where the soils are already saturated.
The director of the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba, Celso Pasos, emphasized the importance of assessing hazards, vulnerabilities, and risks for decision-making in response to meteorological events that, as a result of climate change, are becoming more frequent and intense.
Meanwhile, Doctor José Rubiera, from the National Forecast Center, reported that Oscar has begun to dissipate and is expected to lose strength as it moves away towards the Bahamas.
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 work is 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 stated recently.
The last time a major hurricane hit Cuba was in September 2017 when Irma moved parallel to the northern coast of the island, causing ten deaths and material losses officially estimated at 13.185 billion dollars.
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