As Hurricane Oscar battered the province of Guantánamo, reports from state media journalists themselves disclosed a startling truth: they were unaware of any contingency or evacuation plans to mitigate the damage. If those tasked with disseminating crucial information were left in the dark, what hope was there for the general populace?
Jorge Luis Merencio Cautín, a journalist who witnessed the chaos firsthand in San Antonio del Sur—one of the hardest-hit areas—wrote a piece titled "Terrifying Night" for the Guantánamo digital publication Venceremos. He recounted how "hundreds, perhaps thousands, of locals, caught off guard by the deluge, had no time to safeguard their most precious and essential belongings." His account painted a vivid picture of despair as residents scrambled to rooftops, trees, and higher ground to escape the rising waters. "The struggle for survival far outweighed the value of material possessions left behind," he noted, highlighting the community’s lack of preparedness.
The Unforeseen Devastation
The aftermath was grim. "The flood left a disastrous scene: homes and workplaces submerged in mud, thousands of appliances ruined, furniture destroyed, clothing lost or buried in sludge... but most heartbreakingly, it left families grieving for lost loved ones," Merencio documented. His narrative confirmed that neither the locals nor the journalists received advance warnings about the storm’s severity or the ensuing floods, leaving them no time to prepare or evacuate safely.
Communication Breakdown
Meanwhile, Mirna Rodríguez Zúñiga, a journalist with La Voz del Toa in Baracoa, shared her experience in an article for Radio Guantánamo titled "It Wasn't a Matthew, But It Was an Oscar." Rodríguez detailed how she only learned about the hurricane through rumors and neighborly exchanges, as power outages cut off access to official channels. "After hearing the news, which spread by word of mouth due to the power loss, I spent hours frantically securing doors, buying food, digging trenches—exhausting work," she recounted, underscoring the lack of coordinated plans. Her testimony pointed to a critical absence of official information and a sense of disconnection: "At this moment, I have no idea what's happening elsewhere in Baracoa; the communication gap is killing us."
As night fell, Rodríguez was left in the dark about the unfolding disaster: "And now what? Why this silence and calm? ... Some are using this time to collect their tiles. It's advisable not to let your guard down, but the current situation offers no alternatives. As night progresses, people are starting to return home... The second part of this ordeal is worse. The wind’s noise, the falling debris, the darkness—it's terrifying. I think about what's lost, those with little getting soaked. Now we wait for dawn to begin the recovery."
Systemic Shortcomings
Both accounts inadvertently highlight a critical issue: the lack of preparedness and poor communication in emergency planning, leaving both journalists and citizens without the vital information they need to protect their lives and property. If even official journalists lack access to crucial data and instructions, the general population is left even more vulnerable, exposed to unnecessary risks.
Despite the adversity, both narratives conclude with a nod to the solidarity that once again arises to mitigate the consequences of governmental mismanagement. “No family will be left helpless,” promised Díaz-Canel in San Antonio del Sur, yet what was truly needed was for them to have been protected beforehand.