Power Outage Strikes Western Cuba, Restored in Hours

A widespread power outage struck Havana and the western half of Cuba on Wednesday, plunging millions of residents into darkness and disrupting daily life across the region. The blackout, which began around 5 a.m. local time, affected provinces from Pinar del Río to Mayabeque and lasted several hours before officials restored service by early afternoon.

Lázaro Guerra, general director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, attributed the failure to a breakdown on a transmission line linking two major power plants. He stated that restoration efforts were underway and power would return gradually to the affected areas. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz echoed this on social media, praising workers for their swift response amid ongoing challenges. By 1:26 p.m., the ministry announced that all systems had been fully restored.

In Havana, the outage led to immediate chaos as traffic lights failed, prompting dozens of police officers to manually direct vehicles at major intersections. Schools dismissed students who had already arrived, sending them home amid the uncertainty. Small businesses equipped with generators quickly reopened, prioritizing food sales to serve anxious customers....