In a preliminary report, the Cuban Minister of Construction, René Mesa Villafaña, announced that a staggering 46,400 homes have been damaged across the island due to the impacts of Hurricanes Oscar and Rafael, along with recent earthquakes in the eastern regions. The provinces suffering the most include Guantánamo, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and the Isle of Youth.
According to Mesa, the majority of the damage, over 80%, involves roofs that have been partially or completely destroyed, suggesting a possibly more straightforward repair process. However, the earthquakes have resulted in more severe destruction, with 8,612 homes affected, including 156 that have completely collapsed.
Urgent Call for Action by the Government
The figures surged by 12,000 in just one day, as revealed during a session of the National Defense Council, led by the unpopular leader Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez at the Palace of the Revolution. He emphasized the need to expedite the housing recovery, highlighting that with the restoration of essential services like electricity, water, and communications, reconstruction efforts should be prioritized.
“Starting next week, we will focus on rebuilding the infrastructure," Díaz-Canel stated, stressing the importance of improving the assessment of damages and the distribution of building materials.
Province-Specific Impacts and Recovery Efforts
In Artemisa, 20,624 homes have suffered damage, yet only 26% of these have been officially assessed by evaluation teams. Electricity restoration has reached 44%, while landline telephony has been restored to 84.6%.
Mayabeque reports damage to 2,209 homes, with just 86 repaired thus far. The area has managed to restore 96% of its electrical services, although Quivicán remains the hardest-hit municipality.
Havana has nearly regained full electricity and water services, yet 295,000 residents still face water supply issues, according to the government.
Meanwhile, Santiago de Cuba and Granma, significantly impacted by the earthquakes and their aftershocks, continue to report thousands of damaged homes. In Granma, where 8,174 homes have been affected, materials for reconstruction have already been distributed, as stated by the authorities.