Two weeks after Hurricane Rafael passed, Havana remains in disarray, with thousands affected by water shortages and the buildup of garbage and debris in the city, despite the fact that the cyclone did not directly hit the capital.
The Provincial Defense Council met this Monday, and following the meeting, the authorities announced in a statement that thousands of residents in Havana are still experiencing interruptions in water supply, power outages, and issues with public sanitation.
The situation is complicated in several areas of the city. "Community hygiene faces challenges, especially in Boyeros, Playa, Marianao, La Lisa, and the Pueblo Nuevo Popular Council, although this issue is being addressed to varying degrees in all areas of the capital," they noted.
More than 115,000 people are without water in Havana.
One of the most critical issues is the distribution of potable water, which affects over 115,000 people, particularly in the western part of the capital.
The outages in the Cosculluela system have caused significant impacts in this area. Authorities announced improvements on Tuesday, but this promise has been reiterated in previous days without any tangible results.
Municipalities such as Guanabacoa, Habana del Este, San Miguel del Padrón, and Arroyo Naranjo, along with Plaza de la Revolución, continue to face irregularities in water service. In some cases, citizens report that the supply has been interrupted for several consecutive days, worsening living conditions.
Community hygiene: Waste is an unresolved issue.
The accumulation of waste is another major concern for the people of Havana. The government has stated that efforts are being made in the most affected municipalities, but the streets of many neighborhoods remain flooded with garbage.
In Marianao and La Lisa, cleaning crews hardly come by, and the accumulation of waste is beginning to pose health risks.
"We are working to varying degrees across all territories," the authorities explained, but citizens believe that the response has been neither sufficient nor organized.
More government promises and calls for calm to the population.
The Provincial Defense Council, led by Liván Izquierdo Alonso and Yanet Hernández Pérez, along with high-ranking representatives such as Esteban Lazo Hernández and Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman, urged the public to actively participate in recovery efforts.
"The statement emphasized a call for all stakeholders to act in unity, with the aim of accelerating organizational processes and swiftly returning the province to normalcy."
Damaged housing and lack of transparency in the data.
Another pending issue is the recovery of damaged homes. Authorities did not provide clear figures on the number of affected households or the progress of repairs. This silence has fueled uncertainty among families who are waiting for concrete answers.
The situation in Havana, two weeks after Hurricane Rafael, reflects an inefficient emergency management that calls into question the authorities' ability to handle larger crises.
The cyclone did not directly impact the city, but the slow recovery efforts and ongoing basic issues such as water supply and community cleaning leave the population in a state of helplessness.
The Cuban capital awaits real solutions as the days go by and the problems worsen.
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