In the aftermath of the destructive Hurricane Oscar on October 20, the Eastern Army of the Cuban Armed Forces (FAR) has deployed a military tactical bridge to connect the municipality of Imías with the village of Jesús Lores, aiding local residents. This initiative was announced through the military's Facebook page, highlighting the efforts of engineering units that utilized TMM-3 vehicles to reestablish vehicular passage between these locations.
Footage shared online reveals a multi-span Russian-designed scissor-type bridge, equipped with a support trestle, capable of handling heavy vehicles or tanks weighing up to 12 tons. The trestle legs, which tuck beneath each span for transport, can be mechanically adjusted to achieve the desired platform height before deployment. This bridge can function alone or as part of a larger system, and, if necessary for military operations, can be submerged to conceal it from view.
Journalist Miguel Reyes, known on social media as Miguel Noticias, pointed out that this route had suffered damage due to Hurricane Oscar, and the installation of this temporary solution had been postponed because of ongoing adverse weather conditions affecting the region. Oscar severely damaged the road infrastructure in eastern Cuba, leaving several communities isolated.
Infrastructure Challenges Following the Storm
The original bridge linking Jesús Lores with Imías was left in a hazardous state, worsened by the displacement of a water pipe by the flooding of the Guajacal River, precariously supporting it. Additionally, the road connecting Cantillo to La Tinta in the municipality of Maisí has faced significant damage.
Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, Cuba's Minister of Transportation, reported on additional restoration efforts along the Guantánamo-Baracoa highway. Notably, at the San Antonio-Imías boundary, erosion occurred at kilometer 71.5. "The right side of the road experienced a 14-meter high collapse, with visible cracks on the left side," the minister detailed.
The repair process involved demolishing the existing lane from the crown to remove material displaced by the fissure. Currently, work continues to rebuild the embankment with compacted layers, according to Rodríguez Dávila's statement.