A young woman from Río Cauto, in the province of Granma, publicly requested help to locate her father, an operator who —as she reported— was trapped in the rising waters of the Cauto River while on duty.
The daughter stated in a Facebook video that nearly 72 hours have passed without a clear response from the authorities regarding the whereabouts of her father, Pablo López Infante, or his condition, and she denounces contradictory reports amid a scenario of flooding that has affected neighborhoods in the municipality.
The Granma resident explained that her father went out "to fulfill his duty" and became isolated at the Miradero electrical substation near the Cauto River.
In his account, he specified that he was “trapped in the substation's plate” alongside the on-duty guard.
One of the witnesses quoted by the family stated that they last saw him "on top of a roof." The young woman shared a video to "demand answers," while describing the rising water and the desperation of her family —including the grandfather of the missing person, who has a pacemaker—due to the lack of verifiable information.
According to the report, the young woman received conflicting messages from different authorities.
She assured that the "president" told her that her father "was a hero" who "had decided to stay" during the incident; later, the head of substations in Bayamo informed her that "there was no room in the helicopter" that came to the area.
Finally, a military regional official informed him that his father "is in Río Cauto."
The family claims that these versions contradict each other and demands "clear" and verifiable information.
In parallel, they report that they have been promised "a helicopter" or "a boat," but the rescue has not materialized, and in the meantime, the neighborhood remains flooded.
The daughter emphasized that her father "did not refuse to work" despite the conditions following the cyclone and questioned the "lack of institutional coordination": she claims that her family and other neighbors were relocated to Vado del Yeso through community management.
Even a manager from the local electric company admitted to “poor decisions” that, in his view, cannot jeopardize the operator's life.
"The president of the electric company in Río Cauto told me that they had made poor decisions and my father cannot lose his life due to a bad decision made by an organization. I need someone to tell me something clear,” he concludes in his message, insisting on the plea for help and transparency.
As long as there is no official confirmation regarding the whereabouts of the worker, the family continues to urge the public to share the report and provide any information that could help locate and evacuate him safely.
Critical situation in Río Cauto
Families from the municipality of Río Cauto reported that the water continues to rise rapidly and demanded "real information" and immediate assistance in a situation they describe as "something never seen before," with streets and homes submerged and areas cut off.
The messages shared on social media question the claim that "everything was under control" and warn that "nothing will be left in Río Cauto" if reinforcements and basic supplies do not arrive.
Amidst that atmosphere of distress, military and technical authorities reported that the Cauto River has started to recede between Cauto Cristo (Granma) and Baraguá (Santiago de Cuba), although they acknowledged that several communities remain flooded and rescue operations are ongoing.
Cuban reports indicate that the situation is far from being under control: "Tell me this is a lie, right now in Río Cauto people are fleeing and evacuating as best they can while you, the government, claim that everything is calm. What a hardened face you have, hypocrites; you better try to ensure that no more families are affected, because I will report your negligence wherever I can."
A commission consisting of leaders from the Revolutionary Armed Forces —including the head of Engineering and the chief of staff of the Eastern Army— and specialists from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources toured Cauto Cristo and Río Cauto, the municipality hardest hit by the rains and flooding following Hurricane Melissa, and decided to continue evacuations and maintain surveillance over reservoirs and the lower course of the river.
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