Three young Cubans died and four other people were injured after being struck by lightning in the rural town of Cupey, in the municipality of Moa, Holguín province.
The tragic accident occurred this Friday when a powerful lightning strike hit near the entrance of the settlement, resulting in a fatal outcome and multiple injuries, some with serious wounds.
Journalist Yulieska Hernández García reported that the bodies of the deceased were taken to the Department of Pathological Anatomy of the Guillermo Luis Fernández Hernández-Baquero General Teaching Hospital, where identification efforts were underway with the support of family members and neighbors who witnessed the event.
The municipal authorities, including the secretary of the Party in Moa, Yiganis Cruz Martínez; other members of the Municipal Bureau, deputy mayors of the Administration Council, and officers from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), attended both the hospital and the site of the impact to coordinate response actions and support the relatives.
The injured: Four people treated in Moa
In addition to the fatalities, four other people were admitted to the Moa hospital with varying degrees of injuries caused by the electrical phenomenon
Yuxander Robles Robles (El Jobo de Sagua de Tánamo): Tremors in the body and numbness in the feet. He is stable.
Irelemis Ortiz del Rosario (Yamanigüey, Moa): Numbness in the upper and lower extremities. Now stabilized.
Lisbeth Pajan Silot (La Playa, Moa): Loss of consciousness and abrasions on the eyes. Remains under medical supervision.
Dantry Revé Quiala (Sagua de Tánamo): Abrasions on the left knee and right ankle. Now stabilized.
A chain of deaths from lightning strikes in Cuba in 2025
The tragic event in Cupey adds to a series of fatal accidents caused by electrical discharges this year in Cuba. Below is a chronological account of the most significant incidents:
June – Bauta, Artemisa: Two teenagers aged 13 and 16 died while playing outdoor soccer during a thunderstorm. On the same day, in a related incident, a three-year-old girl drowned in Playa Baracoa.
August – Manicaragua, Villa Clara: Three teenagers died and one minor was injured by a lightning strike during an evening storm.
August – Colón, Matanzas: A 42-year-old woman died after being struck by lightning while working in agricultural activities near the community of La Luisa.
September – City of Holguín: A man lost his life after an electrical shock on the terrace of his home, while handling a beam that accidentally made contact with high-tension wires.
In July, a group of young people came close to being struck by lightning while playing soccer in the rain in Ciego de Ávila. The meteorologist Frank Fernández Castañeda described the incident at the time as “an imprudence that could cost them their lives.”
A prior tragedy in Moa
Although the accidents this year have been particularly alarming, the municipality of Moa had already suffered a tragic loss in May 2023, when a lightning strike occurred near the building of the Company for Nickel Union Services (ESUNI) and initially injured seven people.
Finally, as a result of the incident, a woman, identified as Dunielquis Fonseca Borges, passed away, who worked as a specialist in Economic Management at ESUNI.
Worrisome figures: Nearly 2,000 deaths in 36 years
According to a study by the Institute of Geodesy and Astronomy (IGA), lightning storms have caused at least 1,892 deaths in Cuba between 1987 and 2023, averaging 51 fatalities per year.
Although the trend has been decreasing (69 deaths annually in the 90s, 56 in the 2000s, and 37 in the 2010s), the risks remain high.
The master's degree holder in Sciences, Neobil Vega Batista, head of the Department of Instrumental and Technological Development at IGA, warned that "the damages are not limited to the loss of human lives, but also include complex and difficult-to-quantify economic impacts."
Since 2024, institutions such as the IGA, the Institute of Meteorology, the University of Havana, the Fire Department, and the Fire Protection Agency (APCI) have been participating in an Early Warning System and vulnerability assessment aimed at reducing the devastating effects of these natural phenomena.
As of the time this report was written, the identities of the three individuals who passed away in Moa on Friday due to a lightning strike have not been disclosed.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Impact of Electric Discharges in Moa, Holguín
How many people died after a lightning strike in Moa, Holguín?
Three Cuban young men died after being struck by lightning in the rural village of Cupey, in the municipality of Moa, Holguín province. The victims were identified as Eniolquis Romero Terrero, Leonel Velázquez Legrá, and Lázaro Rodríguez Peña.
What measures did the authorities take after the accident in Moa?
Municipal authorities, including the Secretary of the Party in Moa and officials from the Ministry of the Interior, arrived at the hospital and the site of the incident to coordinate response actions and support the victims' families. Additionally, efforts are being made to improve the early warning system and assess vulnerabilities.
How are the injured doing after the lightning strike in Moa?
Four people were injured with varying degrees of severity. Among them, Yuxander Robles Robles and Irelemis Ortiz del Rosario are stable, while Lisbeth Pajan Silot and Dantry Revé Quiala remain under medical care. All have shown signs of recovery following the incident.
What is the situation of electrical outages in Cuba in 2025?
In 2025, Cuba has experienced a series of fatal accidents caused by electrical discharges. These events have resulted in a high number of casualties, becoming one of the leading causes of death from natural phenomena in the country. Institutions are working on an Early Warning System to mitigate the devastating effects of these occurrences.
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