Lightning Strike in Cuba Causes Death of Young Man and Serious Injury to Another
Tragedy struck in eastern Cuba as a young man lost his life due to a lightning strike, while another minor remains in serious condition. The sad news was announced by the Miguel Noticias page on Facebook, which brought attention to the unfortunate incident.
According to the report, the electric shock occurred in El Salvador, Guantánamo, affecting two young people, resulting in the death of one of them, who was identified as Dairon Pérez, a student at the Camilo Cienfuegos Military School. The 15-year-old had just started his high school studies at Camilitos this year. The other teenager is currently hospitalized in serious condition at the Pedro Agustín Pérez Pediatric Hospital.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in Cuba. In 2023, similar events went viral in the country. Just last May, a lightning strike in Moa, on the eastern edge of Holguín, left several people injured, including a pregnant woman. In June, two people died in that province after one of the victims accidentally fell into a well. Another young man was fatally struck by lightning at a funeral in Monte Alto, Mir, a popular council of the municipality of Calixto García.
Official data reveals that electric shocks are the leading cause of death due to natural phenomena in Cuba, causing an annual average of 54 fatalities between 1987 and 2017. The total number of deaths from these events during that period was 1,742, a figure much higher than the deaths caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, and heavy rain events.
The provinces with the highest number of deaths from electric shocks are news, with 249 deaths, Holguín, 186, Camagüey, 161, and Santiago de Cuba, 147. These shocking statistics highlight the urgent need for measures to protect the public from the dangers posed by lightning strikes in Cuba.