BACK
Hurricane Ian: Cuba suffers complete blackout after storm
www.bbc.com

Hurricane Ian: Cuba suffers complete blackout after storm

The island's electrical system is experiencing a complete collapse in the wake of the deadly storm.

International

Cuba is completely without power after Hurricane Ian pummelled the western end of the island, its government has announced.

The electrical system is experiencing total collapse, officials said, after one of the main power plants could not be brought back online.

Two people were reported dead and buildings were damaged nationwide.

Click to continue reading

The category three hurricane, packing wind speeds of up to 195km/h (120mph), is now bearing down on Florida.

On Cuban state television on Tuesday, the head of the electrical energy authority announced that an island-wide blackout had occurred as a result of the national electrical system's breakdown, leaving 11 million people in the dark.

A journalist with a state-run news agency reported that 100% of the electrical circuits in the country were out of service and that "the Antonio Guiteras thermo-electric power plant… could not be synchronised".

Based in Matanzas, 100km east of the capital Havana, Antonio Guiteras is the most important energy plant in Cuba. Its shutdown means there is currently no electricity generation anywhere on the island.