More than 50 families remain isolated after the collapse of a bridge in Santiago de Cuba

More than 50 families from the rural neighborhood of El Fongal, in the Santa María area of Santiago de Cuba, remain isolated after the "alleged" collapse of the only bridge that connects the community to the town center.

The incident occurs amid the recovery efforts announced by the authorities following the passage of the hurricane Melissa, but the neighbors claim that no one has come to assess the damage or implement a temporary solution, according to a report by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada on the social network Facebook.

A bridge that collapsed, leaving a neighborhood cut off

According to residents, the bridge has reportedly suffered a structural failure due to heavy rains and accumulated deterioration, cutting off the main access to essential services: polyclinic, schools, markets, transportation, and emergency assistance. For many locals, entering and exiting the neighborhood has become a dangerous journey.

In the absence of state intervention, residents are forced to use makeshift paths to cross the affected area. These alternative accesses are exposed to flooding, landslides, and serious accidents, especially for the elderly, children, and individuals with chronic illnesses.

"We have no other safe way to enter or exit. If it rains again, we will be completely trapped," the neighbors told the communicator and activist, expressing their concern about a possible additional weather event.

Accusations of negligence and legal violations

Residents pointed to negligence on the part of municipal and provincial authorities, noting the lack of danger signage, the absence of Civil Defense presence, technical inspections, and preventive measures in the area.

An emergency that impacts the most vulnerable

The isolation of the neighborhood directly threatens food security, access to medications, and medical care in a community marked by blackouts, shortages, and health issues.

What is a road for others, for the residents of El Fongal is today a vital line broken.

The demands of the residents of El Fongal

The affected population demands an urgent intervention from the authorities: immediate technical inspection of the bridge by the Viales Company; provisional measures such as a safe passage, a temporary bridge, or assisted transportation; a project for permanent repair, prioritizing rural communities affected by the hurricane, and transparency and official communication regarding the actions to be taken.

"We do not ask for privileges, we ask for security."

According to Mayeta, the neighbors feel abandoned. As they cross an area where the bridge no longer exists — "as if we were walking on air," they describe — the fear of a tragedy occurring grows with each day of institutional inaction.