Cuba faces a major crisis as Hurricane Oscar tears through the island, leaving millions in the dark. With powerful winds exceeding 150 miles per hour, the Category 4 storm wreaked havoc across the country, toppling power lines and flooding streets. The entire nation has been plunged into a blackout, with no clear timeline for when power might be restored.

Hurricane Oscar made landfall late last night on the eastern coast of Cuba, hitting the town of Holguín with full force. Reports from local officials reveal extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and agricultural areas. The storm’s 15-foot storm surge inundated coastal towns, leaving residents trapped as floodwaters rapidly rose.

Authorities are now working around the clock to assess the damage and rescue those stranded by the floodwaters. Search and rescue operations have begun in full force, with emergency responders deployed to the worst-hit areas. However, the widespread power outage has made communication difficult, slowing coordination efforts between teams across different provinces.

Entire power grid in Cuba is offline

The national electricity provider, Unión Eléctrica, confirmed that the entire power grid is offline. “The damage to our grid is catastrophic. Power outage in Cuba will take days, possibly weeks, to restore power to the entire country,” said a representative of the company. Emergency backup generators are being activated in hospitals and critical facilities to keep operations running, but the majority of citizens remain without electricity.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed the nation earlier today, urging calm and cooperation as recovery efforts begin. “We are facing one of the most severe crises in our history. But together, we will rebuild and recover,” he said.

Hurricane Oscar continues its westward path, weakening slightly but still posing a threat to nearby regions. Neighboring nations have already begun preparing for possible impacts as the storm approaches.