The Cuban Meteorological Institute documented the impact of a lightning strike on a wooden pole in the municipality of Güira de Melena, province of Artemisa, during the intense storms that affected the area this afternoon, according to a post by the agency on its social media.
The Institute released two photographs of the incident: one of the pole with a black circle marking the exact point of impact, and another of the ground surface showing visible marks from the discharge.
"The image corresponds to the impact of a lightning strike on a wooden pole in the municipality of Güira de Melena, Artemisa, during the heavy storms recorded this afternoon," the agency specified in its post.
Along with the images, the Institute took the opportunity to reiterate safety measures during thunderstorms: "In the event of a thunderstorm, always take all necessary precautions: stay away from poles, trees, and metal structures, avoid using landline phones and equipment connected to the electrical grid, and seek shelter in safe locations."
The event occurs during the peak of the rainy season in Cuba, which lasts from May to October, with July being historically the most dangerous month for electrical storms on the island.
According to data from the Institute of Meteorology itself, lightning kills more than hurricanes in Cuba: between 1987 and 2023, 1,892 deaths were recorded due to this cause, with an average of between 51 and 54 deaths per year. In July alone, there are 376 victims during that period.
Güira de Melena, a municipality of about 40,000 inhabitants located south of Artemisa, has a recent history of severe weather phenomena.
A tornado touched down in the municipality on July 10, 2025, and another was reported on Christmas Eve of 2024. In August 2025, an explosion at an electrical substation left the area without electricity.
The impact of lightning strikes on Cuba's already deteriorated electrical infrastructure, resulting from decades of neglect, has caused power outages in multiple locations during 2025 and 2026.
On July 10 of this year, a storm in Camagüey recorded almost 4,000 lightning strikes in minutes and left the Provincial Hospital and the Oncology Hospital in that city without electricity.
The deadliest year for lightning strikes in Cuba since records began was 1996, when 91 deaths were recorded in a single year, a figure that illustrates the magnitude of the risk faced by Cubans each rainy season.
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