Yamilka Lafita, a Cuban activist also known as Lara Crofs, shared early today that her brother and nephew, who had been missing after the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Oscar in San Antonio del Sur, have been found alive. "Just a quick update to let you know that my brother and nephew were located yesterday evening. They have some bruises and were dehydrated, but nothing serious," said Lafita, expressing gratitude for the prayers and concern from her followers.
Previously, Lafita had mentioned that her relatives "were helping neighbors escape when the waters overwhelmed them." Fortunately, both have been found safe.
Lafita, who has been actively coordinating relief efforts for Guantánamo, took the opportunity this Friday to remind the public of the locations where donations will be collected until Monday, as transportation is set to depart for the easternmost province of Cuba on Tuesday.
The aftermath of Hurricane Oscar continues to unfold in Guantánamo Province. Rescuers are still searching for entire families reported missing by residents, although Cuban authorities have yet to acknowledge the existence of these missing persons. Initially, officials confirmed that six people, including a mother and her five-year-old daughter, died in San Antonio del Sur due to torrential rains and hurricane damage. Later, a seventh fatality was reported in the similarly devastated municipality of Imías.
Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly expressed his condolences for the lives lost and noted that rescue operations and damage assessments are ongoing in the hardest-hit areas, many of which remain flooded.
The simultaneous occurrence of Hurricane Oscar and the collapse of the National Electric System left hundreds of thousands of Cubans without reliable information about the storm, raising alarms among civil society about the potential dangers posed to residents in the region.