The Cuban government, represented by officials in the province of Granma, the area most impacted by Sunday's morning earthquakes, has confirmed that while there have been injuries, no lives were lost. Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Cuba's Deputy Prime Minister, stated that Granma authorities reported no fatalities directly resulting from the quakes, although they did not specify the number of injuries.
According to the state-run newspaper, La Demajagua, in Pilón, one of the hardest-hit municipalities, two people were injured: a child under 5 years old and a 48-year-old woman. Additionally, the municipality of Media Luna reported several injuries, including a minor and an adult, all within the La Junta community.
Unrelated Deaths Stir Tensions
While there were three reported deaths, they were classified as not directly linked to the seismic activity. These included a terminal cancer patient and two individuals who suffered heart attacks. Despite the absence of quake-related deaths, the number of injuries remains unspecified, and it was revealed that the Félix Lugones Ramírez Hospital in Pilón sustained significant damage.
Photographs shared by La Demajagua illustrate the earthquake's impact on the hospital's wards and operating rooms. "Patients are in a safe area, and medical services are being reinforced," authorities stated.
Granma Bears the Brunt of Destruction
Although the seismic events caused damage across several localities in Santiago de Cuba, the greatest devastation occurred in the province of Granma. Images from various municipalities along the southern coast (Pilón, Campechuela, Media Luna, Niquero) depict a grim scene of destruction and fear engulfing the streets.
Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service of Cuba at the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS), warned on social media that the situation remains quite complex following the two earthquakes and their subsequent aftershocks, which numbered 495 by 9:06 p.m. on Sunday. Of these, more than 20 were felt in Granma.