Nearly 10 million are in total darkness
Cuba’s national power grid collapsed on Monday, causing power outages across the country, leaving about 10 million people without power and worsening the island’s ongoing energy crisis.State grid operator UNE said the outage occurred around midday and that authorities were investigating the cause of the collapse.The nationwide power outage comes after months of prolonged power shortages across Cuba, where aging power infrastructure and fuel shortages led to frequent power outages lasting several hours. In some cases, days.The island’s energy supply has also been affected by restrictions on fuel imports, with the Cuban government blaming US sanctions for limiting access to oil needed to operate power plants.The recent meltdown has exacerbated the hardships faced by residents already suffering from rolling power outages that have disrupted daily life, businesses and basic services, especially during the height of summer in the Caribbean.Cuba is facing worsening electricity shortages amid a long-term economic crisis, but the situation has deteriorated further in recent months as the government faces increasing financial and energy challenges.According to officials, nearly two-thirds of the country was without electricity before the national grid went completely down on Monday, underscoring the severity of the energy crisis.