A devastating incident unfolded in Havana as a five-month-old infant tragically drowned amid the relentless downpour that battered the capital on Monday. Multiple online sources reported that the child lost his life after floodwaters surged into his home following the collapse of a wall in the Cerro municipality, one of the hardest-hit areas.
According to the platform Reporte Cuba Ya, the wall "burst apart, allowing water to rush into the house, leading to the infant's drowning." At the time, the mother was tidying up the home post-storm, unaware that disaster would strike in a matter of seconds. The fierce current, which transformed the street into a makeshift river, snatched the child from her arms.
Independent outlet 14ymedio verified the incident after contacting La Nacional funeral home, where the infant's body was laid to rest. An employee noted that the funeral procession departed at 8:20 a.m. today. On social media, a firefighter involved in the rescue recounted that the child was found with faint signs of life but ultimately succumbed. "Fly high, little one, we pulled you out alive, but you couldn't make it," wrote rescuer Enmanuel Díaz Rodríguez.
Eyewitness Account
Zulema Fuentes, who identified herself as a neighbor, shared a harrowing account on the Facebook page Patria y Vida. She described how the mother was "gathering things because everything was getting wet," while holding the baby when the sudden collapse occurred. The water surged with such force that it tore the child from her grasp, dragging both of them through the torrent.
Chaos and panic ensued as neighbors, friends, and family frantically searched until the child was found trapped behind a door. "They immediately administered first aid, and the baby opened his eyes," Fuentes recounted, adding that tragically, the infant was celebrating five months of life on the day of the incident.
Activist Lara Crofs expressed sorrow and criticized state accountability in such deaths. "Heavy rains shouldn't be a death sentence. Yet, the structural decay of homes and systematic neglect turn storms into avoidable tragedies," she wrote. She further questioned, "How long must we continue counting deaths due to negligence? Who answers for this loss? We cannot allow apathy and neglect to keep claiming innocent lives in our Cuba!"
Images captured at dawn on Tuesday depicted streets littered with destroyed furniture, collapsed walls, and debris swept away by the waters. Poor drainage systems and accumulated waste hinder swift water evacuation, swiftly transforming Havana's streets into perilous torrents.
As of this report's publication, official state media had yet to confirm the tragic event.
Impact of Flooding in Havana
What caused the infant's death in Havana?
The infant's death was caused by drowning after floodwaters entered the home when a wall collapsed during heavy rains in Havana.
How did the community respond to the incident?
Neighbors, friends, and family members responded frantically by searching for the child, eventually finding him trapped behind a door. Immediate first aid was administered but the child could not survive.
What criticisms have been raised regarding this tragedy?
Critics, including activist Lara Crofs, have highlighted the structural decay of homes and systematic neglect as major factors that turn natural events like heavy rains into avoidable tragedies, questioning the state's responsibility in such incidents.