The seismological station on the Isle of Youth was left completely out of service after unknown individuals stole all its equipment, including solar panels, batteries, and the instruments used to record seismic movements.
"No left anything," denounced on Facebook Dr. C. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service of Cuba and technical deputy director of the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS).
According to the specialist, solar panels, batteries, the seismometer, the digitizer, and the rest of the equipment at the facility were stolen.
Arango Arias considered that the seriousness of the incident goes beyond the material loss due to the role the station played.
"This is not just a simple robbery; it is a sabotage of an institution that serves as an early warning system for earthquakes and tsunamis covering Cuba and the Caribbean," he stated.
A station inaugurated just two years ago
The installation had been inaugurated on March 1, 2024, about six kilometers south of Nueva Gerona.
It operated autonomously, without permanent staff, and obtained its energy through solar panels.
The station was part of the National Seismological Service network, which included more than 24 stations distributed across 12 provinces and the Isle of Youth. Its equipment allowed for the recording of seismic movements and provided information for monitoring earthquakes and potential tsunamis.
The importance of seismic monitoring in that area was once again highlighted in June, when a 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook the western part of Cuba and was felt in Pinar del Río, Havana, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth itself.
They also stole equipment in Moa and Holguín
Arango Arias warned that the incident on the Isle of Youth is not the only one that has occurred recently.
According to their report, equipment was also stolen from the seismic station in Moa and from the central backup station located in Holguín.
The specialist expressed his concern about the impact that these events could have on a scientific infrastructure intended for seismic monitoring in the country.
"How far will vandalism go? How far will the impunity of these acts, which are affecting society as a whole, extend?" he questioned.
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