Cuban residents experience a third day of power outage after repeatedly attempted restorations of the electrical network fall short.
The Union of Electrical Workers in Cuba stated around 16% of the nation had regained electricity following another overload of the antiquated power grid early Saturday night. No details were given regarding when full service would be restored.
This is the third complete failure of Cuba's energy system since last Friday. The majority of the 10 million residents have endured interruptions in electric supply throughout the period.
Recovery operations may become more difficult given Hurricane Oscar's anticipated arrival in eastern Cuba, which is expected to bring high winds and massive waves, according to meteorologists.
Cuba first experienced a nationwide blackout on Friday, when one of the country's main power plants suffered a breakdown, as per the energy ministry.
Hours after authorities reported gradual power restoration, Cuba suffered a second nationwide outage early Saturday morning.
The power outages pose a risk of pushing the communist-led nation into a deeper predicament. Both water distribution and preserving food rely heavily on a steady power supply.
Some individuals started posting updates on which areas had regained electricity on WhatsApp, while others arranged to store medications in the refrigerators of those temporarily with power or lucky enough to have a generator.
In Havana, residents endured lengthy queues to purchase a minimal amount of bread from the few stores selling bread in the capital. When the bread ran out, numerous individuals became enraged, claiming they had been overlooked in line.
Many expressed concern about Cuba's traditional partners, such as Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, who until now had been providing the island with essential barrels of oil to maintain electricity.
Tourists continued to navigate Havana's main avenues in classic 1950s automobiles, despite many hotel generators running out of fuel.
A foreign traveler informed CNN that Havana's José Martí International Airport was operating on emergency power only, with printers not functioning to produce tickets and the terminal experiencing no air conditioning.
Cuban officials attributed the energy crisis to a series of factors, including enhanced US economic sanctions, interruptions caused by recent hurricanes, and the substandard condition of the island's infrastructure.
Addressing the public on Thursday, delayed due to technical difficulties, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz admitted that a portion of the nation's limited production was halted to prevent total blackouts.
“We have been pausing economic activities to generate power for the population,” he said.
Cuba's health minister, José Angel Portal Miranda, announced on Friday that health facilities were operating on generators and that essential medical services continued to be provided.
Reuters reporters observed two small protests overnight into Sunday, while videos of demonstrations elsewhere in the capital have also surfaced.
CNN’s Mia Alberti and CNN en Español’s Verónica Calderón and Gerardo Lemos contributed to this report.
Despite the challenges, international aid could prove crucial in restoring power across the Americas, given the widespread impact of Cuba's energy crisis on the world.
The global community is closely watching the situation in Cuba, with concerns about the country's ability to recover and maintain a stable energy supply affecting nations worldwide.
