Partially collapsed buildings, flooded streets, people finding higher grounds and one death are some of the images left by a weekend of heavy rains in Cuba, Infobae reported.
The Caribbean country has also seen trash flowing down the streets, clogging sewers and over three inches of water in areas such as Plaza de Cuatro Caminos, the Infanta y Manglar corner and Los Sitios. The outlet added that power outages prevented water pumps from working, extending the length of the dire situation.
Authorities and residents are worried that the flooding can leave enduring effects even after it ends, as some of the country's already deteriorated infrastructure could reach a tipping point due to the water's effect in the buildings. Cleaning workers are already tackling the issue, but garbage and rubble accumulated on the streets prior to the flooding are complicating the efforts.
Authorities have called on the population to stay in safer areas, with officials saying that the priority is ensuring lives are not put at risk at the moment.
The floods compounds on the general state of decay the country's economy is going through, something that has led to a a sharp increase in crime, according to a recent report by Spanish outlet El País.
Concretely, the outlet detailed how independent media (that is, not controlled by the government, which has a tight grip on information) is reporting more cases of theft and violence.
It recalls a particular example on June 8, when people were attending an event to mark the beginning of the summer. The scene ended up with large disturbances, including fist fights and people wounded amid images of people walking with knives and machetes.
The spike in crime comes as Cuba goes through a grave economic crisis, among the deepest of its already troubled history. "Some might say there have always been violent robberies, murders, killings. But you're seeing more of it today. The country is deteriorated in every aspect, including its values. The economic crisis is impacting all areas of life," Nelson González, a lawyer working in the Cuban judiciary told El País.
A digital poll by Cubadata showed that over six in ten people surveyed said they were victims of a crime in 2022. However, less than 15% reported it to the authorities. The government routinely rejects there is an increase in crime and says any such claims are peddled by its detractors.
However, the downturn is such that about 5% of the country's population has emigrated over the past years, and Cubans abroad increasingly prefer to send care packages to family back home, rather than cash transfers.
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