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On the eve of the impact of the tropical storm Melissa, which threatens to bring heavy rain and winds to the eastern part of the country, millions of Cubans remain in the dark and without access to information. Power outages continue to affect the country around the clock, just when the population needs to be informed and protected the most.
According to the latest report from the National Electric System (SEN), issued on October 23, the impact due to generation capacity deficit extended throughout the early morning, peaking at 1,818 MW the previous day.
The causes are multiple, ranging from breakdowns in units 2 of Felton, 3 of Santa Cruz, 8 of Mariel, and 6 of Renté; maintenance in key plants such as Cienfuegos and Nuevitas; to a severe fuel shortage that keeps 72 distributed generation plants out of service.
With only 1,550 MW available compared to a demand of 2,526 MW, the electrical system is on the brink of collapse. During peak hours, the SEN anticipates a deficit of 1,725 MW, meaning that most of the country will remain without electricity even during the passage of the weather phenomenon.
Meanwhile, the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba (INSMET) is keeping a close watch on Melissa, which is slowly moving over the central Caribbean with sustained winds of 85 km/h. The agency warned that the system could cause heavy rains and high surf in eastern Cuba over the weekend.
The National Hurricane Center of the United States (NHC) warned in its bulletin at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 23, that Melissa "could become a major hurricane by the end of this week or early next week", generating potentially damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding in Jamaica, Haiti, and eastern Cuba. The NHC also urged "interests in Cuba and the rest of the Caribbean to continue closely monitoring the system's development."
But in a country engulfed in darkness, how can one stay informed without electricity, without a radio, and with an intermittent mobile connection?
“Thank you for the information, as I didn’t know there was a cyclone; since we never have electricity during the news hour, I’m just finding out now that there is a cyclone. May God protect us!” wrote a user in a CiberCuba post on Facebook.
Another commented bitterly with irony: "Cuba is not prepared; if there’s no power, how will we be informed? It's all abuse."
Social media has become the only channel for many. “Thanks to social media, we stay informed about the hurricane's path, because with this blackout we are cut off,” expressed another internet user.
"However, not everyone has access: 'For God's sake, there are many elderly people who have no way of finding out, no cell phone, no electricity. What a tragedy!'"
The testimonies reflect not only helplessness but also outrage. "Years ago, when a weather event was approaching, the authorities would take action. Today, they rely on slogans to solve everything. Later, the victims will pay for the damages," another user reported.
The situation worsens with the proliferation of diseases and the lack of basic resources. “Without food, without electricity, without medicine, almost the entire country is suffering from dengue and now a hurricane. We will all die,” laments a resident of Cienfuegos. Others speak of “a cursed country” and a “collective resignation to misery.”
In the midst of both literal and symbolic darkness, Cubans face a new natural threat without information, without energy, and without trust. As one user wrote with restrained anger:
"Thank you, but it doesn’t matter anymore whether it happens or not. If in the end we’re alive by a miracle… for me, let it drag me along, since what I really am is stubborn about this crummy country."
While Hurricane Melissa approaches, the blackout continues, not only the electrical one but also the informational and institutional, making it clear that, in Cuba, neither nature nor the government offers any respite.
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