Caritas in Cuba brings 'love and solidarity' to victims of back-to-back earthquake, hurricane

(OSV News) -- Catholic aid workers in Cuba are responding to back-to-back natural disasters on the island, after a hurricane and an earthquake struck the island within four days of each other.

On Nov. 10, a 6.8 magnitude quake shook the eastern end of the island, with the epicenter located some 25 miles south of the town of Bartolome Maso, said the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremors could be felt in the cities like Santiago de Cuba, the nation's second largest city, and Guantanamo.

No immediate reports of casualties or significant damage from the quake have yet emerged, but Cuba is still struggling to recover after Hurricane Rafael slammed into the island Nov. 6.

The category 3 storm left "an indelible mark" on the island, said Caritas of the Diocese of Pinar del Rio, part of Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church's official humanitarian aid network, in a Nov. 8 Facebook post. "Devastation has taken the form of fallen trees, destroyed homes and knocked down power poles."

Cuban authorities reported that 461 homes collapsed in the wake of Hurricane Rafael, which forced more than 283,000 people across the nation to evacuate, including 98,300 in Havana alone. Media images showed residents wading through flooded streets with their pets and possessions.

Both disasters followed on the heels of Hurricane Oscar, which struck Cuba Oct. 21, killing at least six. The category 1 storm made landfall amid an island-wide blackout resulting from the Oct. 18 collapse of a thermoelectric power plant in Matanzas, a further blow to Cuba's failing power grid, which has seen regular 15- to 20-hour blackouts.

In its Facebook post, Caritas Pinar del Rio said its team "has responded to this situation with promptness and humility," with director Jose Vincente Concepción and his staff visiting affected areas "to assess the damage … activate the parish groups of Caritas and start as soon as possible" to identify "vulnerable and damaged families" following Hurricane Rafael.

"We also put a message of solidarity and encouragement (into) this mission," said the agency. "Every hug shared with workers and volunteers is a reminder that together, we can face this challenge.

"In times of crisis, love and solidarity are critical to helping rebuild what has been lost," said the agency in its post. "We trust that, with collective effort, paths to recovery and hope will be opened."