An outraged resident of Old Havana has voiced her frustration following a partial building collapse caused by Hurricane Rafael. She believes the incident could have been avoided if the structure had been demolished earlier, as it has been uninhabited for a long time. "No one has lived there for over 40 years. The owner has been living nearby, 'in the area,' for quite some time, yet they haven't come to demolish it," the woman remarked in a statement captured by Cubanet.
The woman, who boldly expressed her views on camera, has earned admiration from many online viewers. She insisted that she didn’t fear any repercussions for her outspoken criticism. "Show my face, I’m not afraid of anyone. Let everyone see me, because they are shameless and do nothing," she declared. "I have no fear because they never come to solve anything," she asserted, standing defiantly near the debris strewn across the street.
The partially collapsed building is located at 831 Compostela Street, between Paula and Merced. It is one of many structures that suffered varying degrees of damage from the winds and rains brought by Hurricane Rafael. Another collapse occurred on Santiago Street, between Saludo and Jesús Peregrino, in Central Havana.
Over 460 Building Collapses in Havana Alone
At least 461 buildings in Havana have experienced total or partial collapses due to the forceful impact of Hurricane Rafael, according to a preliminary report released by the city authorities on Thursday. "Havana has been severely affected," stated the province's governor, Yanet Hernández, during a press conference. She detailed that the damage to homes and other buildings included fallen walls, staircases, and dislodged lightweight roofs. However, she did not specify the exact number of total collapses.
The Cuban authorities have not reported any fatalities in the provinces where the most significant damages occurred—Artemisa, Havana, and Mayabeque—home to over four million people, with more than two million residing in the nation's capital. Hurricane Rafael, the second to strike Cuba in just over two weeks, has delivered another devastating blow to a nation already reeling from a crippling economic crisis that has persisted for at least five years.