Millions in Cuba without power after electrical grid collapse

[Lauren}

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN CUBA ARE WITHOUT POWER AFTER THE ELECTRICAL GRID COLLAPSED AGAIN WEDNESDAY MORNING.

SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COMMUNIST COUNTRY HAD TO BE SHUT DOWN AND NON-OFFICIAL WORKERS WERE ORDERED TO STAY HOME.

VICENTE DE LA O LEVY, CUBA’S ENERGY MINISTER, SAID THE MATANZAS POWER PLANT FAILED AROUND 2 AM WEDNESDAY. THE ENERGY MINISTER MET WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND SAID THEY WERE PRIORITIZING RESTORING POWER TO HOSPITALS AND WERE HOPEFUL TO HAVE THE GRID RESTORED THURSDAY SAYING “TOMORROW WE’LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CONDITIONS TO GET IT WORKING, TO RECOVER THE SYSTEM. WE’VE ALREADY STARTED THE RECOVERY PROCESS,” DE LA O LEVY SAID.

THE ISLAND’S OIL-FIRED POWER PLANTS WERE ALREADY GRAPPLING WITH A FUEL CRISIS EARLIER THIS YEAR AS OIL IMPORTS FROM VENEZUELA, RUSSIA AND MEXICO DWINDLED, REUTERS REPORTS.

MILLIONS ACROSS THE ISLAND WERE ALREADY DEALING WITH ROLLING BLACKOUTS THE LAST TWO MONTHS BEFORE WEDNESDAY’S COLLAPSE.

HURRICANE OSCAR STRUCK THE ISLAND IN OCTOBER AND THEN HURRICANE RAFAEL HIT IN NOVEMBER –  KNOCKING OUT THE POWER GRID AND LEAVING THE ISLAND REELING WITH DAMAGED HOMES AND BUILDINGS.

ALONG WITH POWER AND GAS SHORTAGES, CUBANS ARE ALSO DEALING WITH FOOD AND MEDICINE SHORTAGES, AS WELL.

THE LOWER QUALITY OF LIFE HAS LED TO CUBANS LEAVING THE ISLAND IN DROVES.

IN JULY, THE MIAMI HERALD REPORTED, 10%, OR TEN MILLION PEOPLE LEFT CUBA BETWEEN 2022 AND 2023 – THE LARGEST MIGRATION WAVE IN CUBAN HISTORY.

MORE THAN 645-THOUSAND SOUGHT ASYLUM THROUGH THE US-SOUTHERN BORDER.

THE EXTENT OF THE POWER OUTAGE IS UNKNOWN.

SOME GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN THE CAPITAL OF HAVANA HAD POWER WEDNESDAY MORNING BUT THE CAPITAL WAS MOSTLY IN THE DARK.