An oil storage facility in northern Cuba caught fire last weekend. A lightning strike caused the inferno. The emergency services are still working on extinguishing the flames, special forces from Mexico and Venezuela now have to help with the extinguishing work.
On Friday evening, lightning blew up a fuel tank in the port of Matanzas during a thunderstorm. The fire later spread to other parts of the facility, causing other tanks in the area to explode.
100 people in the hospital
More than 100 people have been hospitalized since then. On the night of Sunday (local time), 36 patients were treated in the hospital, according to the Cuban government. Eight of the victims were in critical condition. President MiguelDíaz-Canel assessed the situation on the ground and visited the victims in the hospital.
At least 17 missing
Port activities in Matanzas have been temporarily suspended. Authorities have diverted the ships to other ports. According to the province, about 800 people from neighboring residential areas have been taken to safety. At least 17 people who worked near the tanks are still missing. Due to the high temperatures, the emergency services were initially unable to advance further to locate the missing.
power supply problems
Cuba is facing a serious economic crisis and major energy supply problems. Recently, there have been repeated power outages on the socialist Caribbean island. The tanks affected by the fire contained Cuban crude oil and imported heavy fuel oil, which is mainly used to generate electricity. Constant power cuts sparked anti-government protests in Cuba a year ago.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
