Tropical storm batters Cuba, severe flooding in Guantánamo

Tropical Storm Oscar, which hit Cuba on October 20, 2024, after first making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm, has left significant damage across the island, particularly in the province of Guantánamo.

Previously, the storm was located about 40 miles (65 km) east of Guantanamo Cuba, packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kmh).

The storm, which came amid Cuba's worst economic crisis in three decades, has further compounded existing hardships, including food shortages, power outages, and damaged infrastructure.

One of the hardest-hit areas was the municipality of San Antonio del Sur, where the storm severely impacted the salt industry.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines confirmed that 50% of the industrial facilities of the Salinera Company were damaged, and the Macambo salt field was completely destroyed.

This is a major blow for the country, as access to basic goods like salt has already been limited due to ongoing production and transportation issues since 2023.

In addition to industrial damage, Oscar has devastated agriculture in Guantánamo, a region already struggling with food scarcity.

Coffee crops were particularly hard hit, with an estimated 40,000 cans of ripe coffee lost.

Banana plantations in municipalities such as Maisí and Baracoa were affected by up to 80%, and 200 hectares of tomato crops were destroyed in San Antonio del Sur’s Caujerí Valley.

Beyond the agricultural losses, the storm has taken a human toll as well. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed six fatalities in the town of San Antonio, though details on how they died have not yet been provided.

The storm also caused extensive damage to more than 1,000 homes across the province of Guantánamo, with unprecedented flooding reported in San Antonio del Sur and Imías.

Oscar’s arrival coincided with an ongoing national blackout caused by the failure of Cuba’s largest power plant three days earlier, leaving roughly 10 million Cubans in the dark.

Although some power has been restored, large portions of the island remain without electricity, prompting rare protests from frustrated residents.

In Havana and other affected areas, Cubans have taken to the streets banging pots and pans and chanting demands for power restoration.

The economic impact of Hurricane Oscar extends beyond the immediate damage. Cuba has been grappling with inflation, severe shortages of basic goods, and a crippling trade embargo from the US.

The storm exacerbates these existing crises, further straining a population already facing limited access to food, medicine, and clean water.

As the country assesses the full extent of the damage, meteorologists warn that Oscar may cause flash flooding as it moves northward toward the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

While Cuba begins its recovery efforts, the storm serves as a stark reminder of the island's vulnerability in a time of economic hardship and infrastructural challenges.

The Cuban government has pledged to restore power and provide aid, but the road to recovery will likely be long and difficult for many of the affected communities.