A severe local storm, accompanied by heavy rains, gusty winds, lightning strikes, and hail, struck the city of Camagüey on Thursday afternoon, causing material damage and power outages that even affected the special circuits supplying the Provincial Hospital and the Oncological Hospital in the city.
The situation was reported by independent journalist José L. Tan Estrada, who informed through his project #TanteandoCuba on Facebook: "Severe storm in #Camagüey. The special circuits without electricity belong to the Provincial and Oncological Hospital."
Hours earlier, at 3:15 p.m., amateur meteorologist Yosmelvi Páez Cornell had alerted the group on Facebook El Tiempo en Camagüey about the development of the phenomenon.
"Severe storms are affecting areas within the city of Camagüey at this moment; strong gusty winds, lightning strikes, and heavy rainfall are being reported," he wrote.
The images from the GOES-19 satellite, corresponding to 19:05 UTC, confirmed intense convective activity over the city, with 47 lightning strikes detected by the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM).
Later, Páez Cornell explained that widespread circulation associated with a higher pressure was favoring the formation of strong storms in much of the country.
"A broad circulation of a high-pressure system is affecting all of Cuba, with its main center near the eastern coast. This afternoon, it has prompted the development of showers, rain, and thunderstorms that have become severe in several provinces," it was noted.
At 20:45 UTC, a new satellite image recorded 3,983 lightning strikes in the region, with the weather system identified as "Cold Low B" over Cuba.
In addition to the power outages, the storm caused property damage at various locations in the city. User Aniuska Martínez shared images on Facebook of trees and branches downed by the force of the wind, as well as a mango tree split in half after the storm passed.
The interruption of electricity service in both hospitals occurs at a particularly delicate time for the country. Just two days earlier, Cuba experienced its third nationwide blackout of 2026 and the seventh total collapse of the National Electric System in the last 18 months.
This Thursday, the Electric Union reported a availability of just 935 megawatts against a demand close to 3,100 MW, resulting in a deficit of 2,195 MW, just one day after setting a historical record of 2,341 MW.
Although the circuits that power hospital facilities are typically the last to be disconnected during scheduled blackouts, the storm also rendered those lines inoperative, highlighting the vulnerability of the electrical infrastructure amid the crisis the country is facing.
The two affected healthcare centers were already facing serious difficulties. So far in 2026, the Provincial Hospital Manuel Ascunce Domenech has been reported for issues related to infrastructure, lack of water, and suspension of hemodialysis treatments. The Oncology Hospital, on the other hand, has had essential equipment for radioactive iodine treatments out of service for years, which has impacted care for cancer patients.
This is not the first time a weather event has compromised healthcare in the province. In September 2025, another severe storm flooded the Amalia Simoni Hospital, forcing medical staff to work amidst flooded hallways illuminated only by flashlights and mobile phones.
Filed under: