A severe local storm struck the town of Máximo Gómez, in the municipality of Perico, Matanzas province, tearing off the roof of a Basic Cooperative Production Unit (UBPC) and destroying the solar panels on the roof of the local Popular Savings Bank (BPA).
The information was shared by the broadcaster Radio Varadero via Facebook, along with images and statements from Carlos Clemente Carmona, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the municipality, who reported the damages from his personal account on that social network.
The published photographs depict a scene of destruction: metal structures collapsed over streets flooded with muddy water, fallen electric poles with wires lying on the ground, photovoltaic solar panels overturned from their supports, and the interior of a school classroom with a partially collapsed metal sheet roof, exposing the sky above.
A group of neighbors can also be seen working to lift a fallen electric pole, wearing rubber boots and soaked clothing, in the midst of puddles.
Carmona adopted a triumphant tone in his publication, characteristic of the regime's official discourse. "The local storm hit hard in Máximo Gómez! It tore off the roof of the UBPC and blew away the roof panels of the Bank. But here, we are not disheartened. The roof is already on its way to being repaired, and actions are being coordinated with economic stakeholders to restore the photovoltaic electricity service of BPA Máximo Gómez. Nothing will stop us; we continue in search of solutions!" wrote the official.
The loss of the solar panels from the BPA is not a minor issue: that photovoltaic system was installed at the branch specifically to ensure operations during the systematic and prolonged blackouts. Without that renewable energy source, banking services in Máximo Gómez are compromised until the system is restored.
Matanzas has experienced several severe weather events so far in the second half of 2026. At the beginning of September, a hailstorm with wind gusts exceeding 70 km/h impacted hospitals and pumping systems in the province, and days later heavy rains flooded the center of the city of Matanzas.
Máximo Gómez is a town with a tradition in sugarcane and agriculture, home to approximately 8,400 residents, located a few kilometers from the municipal capital of Perico. The event takes place at the end of the Cuban rainy season, which lasts from May to October and experiences the highest number of severe local storms in the archipelago.
The accumulation of damage to basic infrastructure — roofs, utility poles, photovoltaic systems, and classrooms — reflects the structural fragility of Cuban communities in the face of weather events that, under normal conditions, would be manageable with adequate maintenance and sufficient resources.
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