The Guantanamo municipality of Imías and other towns in the province of Guantánamo remain cut off due to the severe flooding that occurred in that area during the passage of Oscar, which struck there as a hurricane.
"We were able to communicate with the first secretary of the Party in Guantánamo, who was able to reach Imías on foot, as the area is isolated due to the floods. The situation there is very complex. Measures are being taken to protect the population," wrote Miguel Díaz-Canel on X.
In addition to Imías, "the route to the La Tinta Popular Council and Boca de Jauco remains cut off due to a sinkhole on the access road," as revealed on social media by journalist Miguel Reyes.
The communicator added that communication with the residents is ongoing and access is expected as soon as possible to begin the tasks of assessing damages and recovery.
"There is vitality towards the Popular Council of La Tinta, Vertientes, and Puriales," added the journalist.
In the case of Maisí, another of the most affected territories, recovery tasks have begun. The work of cutting down trees that obstruct access to the other government areas has started.
There are many damages to roofs, light and total coverings, and collapses of houses that have not yet been quantified. Recovery efforts in Maisí are underway with the support of all economic sectors in the area.
The mentioned source added that there is a surgical brigade available for any medical emergencies. However, there are no reported cases or loss of human lives in that territory.
In the case of the municipality of Baracoa, a rescue operation was carried out by air this Tuesday for the transfer of a minor in critical condition to a hospital outside the locality, as reported on its social media by the official media Primada Visión.
Hurricane Oscar, which made landfall in Cuba on October 20, has left a trail of destruction in eastern Cuba, with the province of Guantánamo being the most affected. With a preliminary toll of six dead, the situation remains critical, especially in the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur and Imías, which experienced unprecedented flooding.
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 child of just five years, Luís Andis Elías Labañino.
"All of Cuba in function of Guantánamo," sentenced Miguel Díaz-Canel recently.
The images of desolation in these particular localities are shocking, with flooded homes, lost food, and many families struggling to recover what little remains dry.
Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez highlighted in an emergency meeting that, although initially Oscar appeared to be "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.
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 recorded 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 spared from the impact of the hurricane: warehouses, storage facilities, pharmacies, and schools were damaged, and authorities continue to assess the extent of the damages.
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 are already underway, but the challenge is enormous in a country facing a deep economic crisis and turmoil in all areas.
In some areas 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 municipality of Maisí, one of the hardest hit by the hurricane, reported severe damage to the roofs of several homes, including the petrocasas in the La Punta popular council and the polyclinic in Sabana. The torrential rains caused numerous rivers to overflow, further worsening the situation in the most vulnerable communities.
Although the center of tropical storm Oscar has left Cuban territory, the rains will continue to affect the eastern part of the country for a few more hours.
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