Amid the heavy rains in the Cuban capital, the collapse of homes continues to plague the population. This Saturday, another incident occurred with the partial collapse of a house in the Cerro municipality. Social media users reported the partial collapse of a home at the corner of Florencia and San Gabriel streets in the Havana locality, where fortunately, no casualties were reported.
"My Havana keeps falling; here we have another collapse. Florencia and San Gabriel, Cerro holds the key," indicated the profile Asere ya on the platform X. The published photographs show a large amount of debris on the street after the structures of the porch and part of the roof of the house collapsed.
Other Facebook accounts echoed the news. However, so far, the incident has not been confirmed by the authorities. A post by a user identified as Tito Yeniel Tito stated: "You will see more of these catastrophes with these downpours" that are falling. Meanwhile, in the video he uploaded, he pointed out, "Look at the downpour, here at the corner of Florencia and San Gabriel, that house just collapsed, and many more will continue to fall. Just wait for the rain to stop and the sun to come out."
The publications do not provide further details about the collapse in the building, adding yet another number to the endless list of collapsed homes in recent times in Cuba, which have increased this week. On Tuesday night, a collapse in Old Havana left at least one person injured after part of a building on Monte Street between Águila and Ángeles streets collapsed.
As early as Thursday, three people were injured after a balcony fell onto the El Tablazo café, located on 1st Street between C and D streets in Vedado. Less than 24 hours later, a fatal collapse occurred. Early Friday morning, a wall collapsed and fell onto the roof of a house on Calzada del Cerro between Carvajal and Patria streets in Cerro municipality, leaving one person dead and two injured.
That same day, the upper part of a two-story house collapsed in Playa municipality. Fortunately, the residents had time to evacuate before the incident occurred. In the evening, amid a power outage, a partial collapse of a house occurred in Alacranes, Union de Reyes municipality, in Matanzas province.
As if that wasn't enough, on Saturday afternoon, the roof of the building known as "El Confite" in Colón municipality, also in Matanzas, collapsed without causing injuries or loss of life. These events demonstrate the alarming state of deterioration of homes and other buildings in Cuba due to the lack of maintenance of the structures.
Far from being isolated incidents, they are part of a recurring pattern that highlights the poor management of the Cuban government in terms of construction and infrastructure repair.
Understanding the Recent Building Collapses in Cuba
The following questions and answers provide more context and insight into the alarming trend of building collapses in Cuba, particularly in light of the recent incidents.
Why are building collapses becoming more frequent in Cuba?
The increasing frequency of building collapses in Cuba is largely due to the severe lack of maintenance and repair of the aging infrastructure. The government's poor management of construction and upkeep has exacerbated the situation.
What areas have been most affected by these collapses?
The most affected areas include various municipalities in Havana, such as Cerro, Old Havana, and Vedado, as well as regions in Matanzas province, including Union de Reyes and Colón.
Have there been any casualties due to these collapses?
Yes, there have been several casualties, including injuries and at least one fatality. The incidents have resulted in significant damage to properties and posed a serious risk to the residents.