Cuba restores power to one-fifth of people following blackouts

Grid collapse latest hit for island, which faces food, medicine and fuel shortages

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HAVANA - Cuba's government said late on Oct 19 it had restored power to nearly one-fifth of the island's people after the national grid collapsed twice in 24 hours, plunging millions of people into darkness.

The unprecedented nationwide blackout is the latest blow to the nation of 10 million already suffering from dramatic shortages of food, medicine and fuel.

Cuba's top electricity official Lazaro Guerra said the grid operator was working to restore electricity, but that the process would be slow and rushing the job could lead to more blackouts and a deterioration of service.

"I cannot assure you that we will be able to complete linking the system today, but we are estimating that there should be important progress today," Mr Guerra said on a TV newscast earlier on Oct 19.

The capital Havana was still largely in the dark during the evening of Oct 19. Strong winds and rain began to buffet much of the Caribbean island ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Oscar, which was expected to graze north-eastern Cuba in the coming days.

The hurricane will cap a dramatic series of events in Cuba over several days that raised tensions among the island's already exhausted residents.