A total of 19 people were injured on Thursday morning after a private truck used for passenger transportation on the Jiguaní-Bayamo route in the province of Granma lost control and overturned, according to local media reports.
The incident occurred around 8:00 a.m. on the section of the Central Highway known as La Palma, in the municipality of Jiguaní.
Initially, 15 injured individuals were reported and were being treated at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes General Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital in the city of Bayamo. However, a later report by journalist Jorge Luis Ríos Frías raised the number of injured to 19.
"The hospital has the medical resources and supplies as well as the healthcare personnel to provide specialized care for each of the patients," added the official source, which did not specify the clinical condition of the injured individuals.
As of the close of this note, questions remain about the evolution and clinical condition of the injured in the accident.
In recent weeks, there has been a growing number of serious accidents across the country, many of them fatal. In one of the most recent cases, two people died, and several were injured in an accident in Ciego de Ávila on Wednesday night, involving another passenger truck and a car carrying a couple and their child.
Although the population perceives an increase in traffic accidents in recent months, Cuban authorities stated at the beginning of this month that the first half of 2024 saw 543 fewer incidents compared to the same period last year.
In the official television program Mesa Redonda, Colonel Roberto Rodríguez Fernández, head of the Specialized Traffic Body of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), also reported that there were 81 fewer fatalities (23%) and a reduction of 151 injured (5%) between January and June of this year compared to the same period in 2023.
FAQs on Traffic Accidents in Cuba
Given the alarming number of traffic accidents in Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions to provide more insights into the situation.
What caused the truck to overturn in Granma?
The truck lost control for reasons not yet specified, leading to the overturn.
How many people were injured in the Granma accident?
A total of 19 people were injured in the accident.
What is the current trend in traffic accidents in Cuba?
Despite a perceived increase, authorities report a decrease in traffic accidents in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.