Cuba's Recurrent Grid Failures Amidst Hurricane Chaos

Cuba faced its fourth electrical grid collapse in 48 hours amidst a hurricane, amplifying the island's energy crisis. With restoration efforts underway, millions remain powerless, causing protests in Havana. The government blames deteriorated infrastructure and fuel shortages, aggravated by U.S. sanctions, for ongoing blackouts.

On Sunday, Cuba's already fragile electrical grid suffered yet another collapse, tallying its fourth failure in just two days amidst an ongoing hurricane crisis. Efforts to restore electricity had shown some promise earlier, but millions remain without power, adding to the nation's woes.

The energy and mines ministry declared restoration began immediately after the latest collapse. Meanwhile, Hurricane Oscar wreaked havoc as it made landfall, with strong winds and heavy rain complicating the recovery process. The storm underscored the existing threats faced by Cuba's aging infrastructure.

The Communist government, in a rare move, canceled schools through mid-week and advised only essential services. Rising public discontent led to small protests in Havana, with residents expressing frustration over prolonged outages amid the resource shortages experienced across the island.

(With inputs from agencies.)