The water crisis affecting numerous neighborhoods in Havana ultimately turned into a domestic accident for Jessenia Massola Sablón, daughter of the late Cuban actor Carlos Massola. The young woman publicly sought help after the floor of her home collapsed while the family was digging a well to cope with the prolonged water shortage.
The accident occurred on July 25 at a house located in the Mirador del Diezmero neighborhood, in the municipality of San Miguel del Padrón.
As explained in a video posted on Facebook from his father's profile, the family decided to dig a well in the kitchen because they had been without drinking water for days, a situation that many neighbors in the area are also facing.
The excavation managed to find water, but it weakened the structure of the adjoining room. While trying to repair her mother's bed, Jessenia stepped on the slab and it gave way beneath her feet.
"I literally stepped on a slab and fell through the floor. I got up not understanding what had happened, with my leg bleeding," he reported.
Although he sustained injuries and was able to escape on his own, he assures that the greatest impact came when he realized that the gap opened right where his mother sleeps.
"The slab that collapsed is where my mom sleeps. If it had been her, I wouldn't have been able to get her out of there. At least I’m still young. I came out scratched, hurt, bleeding, but I got out," she said, visibly moved.
After the collapse, he explained, the structural damage continued to worsen.
"My little house is falling apart. I never thought the floor of my room would cave in while I was inside. Right now, I'm at risk of half my house falling apart," she warned.
"It seemed like the water would never return."
Jessenia insisted that opening the well was not a voluntary decision, but rather a desperate measure in response to the lack of water.
"Since there is no water there, it seems that it will never come again. The neighbors were digging wells, and we tried that as well," he explained.
Local residents informed them that the water vein ran beneath the kitchen. They found the resource they were looking for, but the cost was the partial collapse of the house.
The case reflects the situation faced by the residents of Mirador del Diezmero, where in recent weeks neighbors have reported water outages lasting several days and blackouts of up to 28 consecutive hours. The scarcity has forced many families to drill artisanal wells in an attempt to ensure their water supply.
A new blow for the Massola family
This is not the first time that Jessenia Massola has publicly denounced the difficulties she faces.
After the death of his father, actor Carlos Massola recounted that the hearse took about seven hours to arrive to collect the body and that the transportation could only be carried out with the assistance of the firefighters.
The deterioration of housing remains one of the most serious issues in Havana. The capital records around a thousand collapses each year and has over 185,000 properties in poor condition, within a national housing deficit that exceeds 800,000 homes.
In light of the extent of the damages, Jessenia requested support from anyone who could help with the repair of her home and asked to share her story.
"I would be extremely grateful to everyone who can even share the video," he expressed.
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