MIAMI, United States. – More than two weeks after the Hurricane Rafaelcategory three on the Saffir-Simpson scale, hit the province of Artemisa on November 6, the inhabitants of Playa Guanímar remain immersed in desolation and the feeling of abandonment by the authorities, according to a report from the EFE agency.
Orlando Moreno, a 75-year-old fisherman, returned to what was once his home and found only the foundation. The devastation was such that his blood pressure shot up and he had to be rushed to hospital. “No one has come here. If they have come, I have not seen them,” Moreno told EFE.
The situation is still critical: the streets are covered in mud, it is difficult to find an undamaged house and electricity has not yet been restored in around 15% of the province, according to the Electrical Union (UNE). Residents rely on tankers for water, and food shortages further compound the hardship.
Antonio González, 57, expressed his frustration: “Here, at least we haven’t brought the boys’ milk. No bread… Here they brought us water, and badly. “This is terrible.” He added that no authorities have reached out to offer help or information about next steps.
Marisol Valle, 62, shares the feeling of abandonment. “They [dirigentes del Gobierno] they came yesterday [lunes 25 de noviembre]. But they didn’t interview anyone or ask anyone anything. They came, took photos and left from there. This is how we all feel: forgotten,” he denounced from the gate of his house.
Although state media shows officials and President Miguel Díaz-Canel visiting affected areas, residents of Playa Guanímar feel that help is not coming. A neighbor, who preferred not to give her name, criticized the management after the evacuation: “They evacuated us on time: good, very good. But then they threw us all here and do whatever they can. But what is that?”
Cuba was already facing a severe economic crisis before Rafael passed, and the limited state response capacity has highlighted precariousness in multiple areas. The hurricane severely damaged the National Electrical System (SEN), causing blackouts and further complicating the situation for those affected.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Playa Guanímar are trying to rebuild their lives with limited resources and under the uncertainty of when the promised help will arrive. “This is how they want people to continue with their normal lives. There is nothing normal about this,” the neighbor interviewed concluded resignedly.
