The devastation left by Hurricane Oscar in Eastern Cuba presents alarming scenes that underscore the scale of the disaster, with official figures still pending. Visual artist Daniel Ross Diéguez from Guantánamo shares firsthand accounts of the ordeal faced by the residents of San Antonio del Sur, Guantánamo. People are grappling with the loss and destruction of their homes, and the heartache of having missing family members.
While authorities have acknowledged and identified seven fatalities, locals suspect the actual number is higher, given the many families still searching for their loved ones. The search for missing persons has extended to the southern coast of the province. According to Ross Diéguez, a helicopter has been spotted flying over, scouring for individuals possibly swept away by the floodwaters.
A Community in Distress
"I've witnessed a helicopter searching for people along the coast, over the sea. Until recently, only one body has been found, as the beach locals and eyewitnesses have reported," stated the Guantánamo artist on Saturday via a Facebook post. He reported several areas remain isolated. "There are still many floods and muddy swamps. I managed to reach the Caujerí Valley. Imías is still inaccessible," Ross Diéguez explained.
The Heroic Tale of a Young Survivor
The parents of the "hero child" who survived by swimming in Macambo are yet to be located. "It's very cloudy here, and it has started to rain," he noted. The "hero child" mentioned by Ross Diéguez is Abram Daniel González Hernández, a brave 12-year-old who was rescued by members of the Municipal Defense Council with a severe leg injury and received treatment at the Pediatric Provincial Hospital Pedro Agustín Pérez in Guantánamo.
"I lost my mom's hand. That's when I hit against a coconut tree. I held on, managed to climb up, and felt cold," recounted Abram Daniel in a poignant account of the terrifying moments when he lost sight of his mother. He jumped from the coconut tree upon hearing it creak as if it might snap, injuring his leg in the process. Once back in the floodwaters, the current carried him out to sea.
"I drifted out to sea," he recalled. In his fight for survival, the child described seeing "two rocks" where the waves weren't breaking as fiercely, allowing him to climb to safety. His account suggests that other victims, including his mother, might have disappeared into the sea, prompting authorities to initiate coastal search operations.