Cuba’s electrical grid collapsed again on Sunday, marking the fourth failure in 48 hours, as Hurricane Oscar made landfall on the eastern part of the island, bringing strong winds and heavy rain, further complicating recovery efforts, Reuters reports.
The Cuban government initially reported progress in restoring power, with 160,000 residents in Havana having their electricity restored. However, millions remained without electricity two days after the initial grid failure, with many residents expressing frustration over prolonged outages and food spoilage. The government canceled schools through Wednesday and only essential workers were instructed to report to work on Monday.
The grid initially crashed after the largest power plant shut down, and subsequent collapses highlighted the precarious state of Cuba’s infrastructure. The government blamed the blackouts on deteriorating infrastructure, fuel shortages, and rising demand, blaming the US trade embargo for complicating efforts to maintain its power plants. Fuel supplies from key allies like Venezuela and Mexico have also significantly decreased, further exacerbating the crisis.
