A Cuban mother and her five-year-old daughter are included in the heartbreaking list of six people who have died so far as a result of Hurricane Oscar's passage through Guantánamo.
Although in the initial list published by official sources the minor was identified as a male and with an incorrect name, it has come to light in recent hours that she was a five-year-old girl, Liz Anyi Elías Labañino, who died alongside her mother, Iriannis Labañino Domínguez (known as "Chicha"), in the municipality of San Antonio del Sur.
Another one of the deceased, Antolino Arias Domínguez, 83 years old, shares a last name with Iriannis, but it is unknown if they were family.
On social media, family members, friends, and neighbors of the woman and her daughter have expressed their outrage at the painful loss.
Mother and daughter presumably passed away in the early morning hours, as implied by the newspaper Venceremos in a publication.
"Rainfall records indicate that from 1 to 3 a.m. on Monday, October 21, 278 millimeters of precipitation fell over that territory, resulting in an unprecedented flood that submerged almost the entire main town and other communities, surprising neighbors with its size and strength," reported Venceremos.
"Once the situation was known through the Municipal Defense Council, rescue and salvage brigades were activated, which, along with members of the Provincial Defense Council, went to the aid of people trapped by the flood, which helped save lives," added the official media.
The newspaper described the solidarity among neighbors for the immediate transfer of those affected to higher floors and elevated areas as "important."
No other details have emerged regarding the death of Liz Anyi Elías and her mother Iriannis.
Although official sources claim that there were 6,000 evacuees in San Antonio del Sur, it is unclear whether the population was fully aware of the hurricane approaching due to the massive blackout.
On social media, some internet users have lashed out at local authorities for not warning residents in danger areas. There have been those from abroad who claim that their relatives had not received any notice that the hurricane was coming.
"It must be said that the municipalities of San Antonio and Imías have been severely affected by this event. Flood levels have even been recorded that had not been historically documented in these two areas," wrote Díaz-Canel on X, implying between the lines that there were no precedents justifying the evacuation in certain areas.
In addition to mother and daughter, Francisco Columbié Matos (92 years old); Esmerido Noa Fiffe (86); Antolino Arias Domínguez (83); and Alexander Savón Matos (42) also passed away.
At this moment, there are areas of San Antonio del Sur that are still cut off, but damage is already being assessed as the weather permits, because it was still raining until the early morning of Tuesday, October 22, pointed out Venceremos.
They are in that municipality, accompanying the Municipal Defense Council in decision-making, damage assessment, and recovery, the Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, Inés María Chapman Waugh, and the Vice President of the Provincial Defense Council, Alis Azahares Torreblanca.
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