The aftermath of Hurricane Oscar has left a trail of despair in Cuba's Guantánamo province, as rescue efforts persist in locating entire families who have vanished, according to local residents. Reports from Martí Noticias reveal that rescue teams are striving to find missing residents in the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur and Imías, areas severely affected by landslides and swollen rivers.
In a report for the media outlet, activist Emilio Almaguer relayed from Baracoa that the collapse of the Cajobabo bridge has isolated entire communities. "Reaching Imías and San Antonio is impossible. The situation is dire, with the river flooding everything in its path," he stated.
Currently, authorities continue searching for individuals swept away by the floods, while survivors face harsh conditions without electricity, food, or clean water. Yamilka Lafita, an activist based in Havana, is desperately seeking news of her brother and nephew, who have been missing since Sunday. "They were helping neighbors escape when the waters engulfed them. No one came to their aid during the critical moment," she lamented.
Meanwhile, Miguel Ángel López Herrera, another activist in Guantánamo, confirmed that military helicopters have been surveying the region. However, officials have yet to release an official count of the missing, although the death toll has reached seven.
Ongoing Crisis in Eastern Cuba
The devastation wrought by Hurricane Oscar has left a wake of destruction and anguish in the most vulnerable areas of eastern Cuba, where entire families remain unaccounted for. The crisis underscores the vulnerabilities faced by these communities under the socialist regime, which has been criticized for its inadequate response to natural disasters.