Antigua and Barbuda Allocates $100,000 in Aid to Support Cuba’s Recovery After Hurricane Oscar
Antigua and Barbuda has pledged $100,000 in aid to Cuba as the island grapples with extensive damage from Hurricane Oscar. Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the government’s commitment to providing financial assistance, which was approved last week, as a response to the devastation in parts of the Caribbean nation still reeling from the storm and a countrywide power outage.
Local residents are encouraged to join the relief efforts. Supplies for Cuba can be donated at the office of Dr. Phimore Benjamin, located at the intersection of All Saints Road and Sir Vivian Richards Street. This initiative reflects the close ties between Antigua and Cuba, which has long supported the twin-island nation, particularly in health and education, with many Antiguan medical professionals having studied in Cuba.
Hurricane Oscar first struck near Baracoa as a Category 1 hurricane before downgrading to a tropical storm. The storm triggered significant mudslides, floods, and power outages, especially across eastern Cuba. San Antonio del Sur was among the hardest-hit areas, where flash floods tragically claimed six lives, including that of a young child. Heavy rainfall inundated fields, damaging critical banana and coffee crops in Guantanamo and other rural areas.
As of Tuesday, Cuban officials reported progress in restoring power to nearly 70% of the country, with the capital Havana largely reconnected. However, efforts to reach rural and isolated areas continued to be challenging due to blocked roads and persistent floods. The country’s aging oil-powered grid, already under strain from declining oil imports, was further destabilized by Oscar’s impact.
Cuba’s situation underscores the vulnerability of Caribbean nations to natural disasters, as Antigua and Barbuda’s government and citizens rally to offer both financial and material support to a longstanding ally in need.
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