Man Dies in Santiago de Cuba Landslide-Induced Building Collapse

A 60-year-old man tragically lost his life early Sunday morning in Santiago de Cuba when his home was destroyed by a landslide triggered by the heavy rainfall pounding the eastern region. The incident was confirmed by Aris Arias Batalla, a specialist in Salvage and Rescue, who identified the victim as Luis Mario Pérez Coiterio, a resident of the Veguita de Galo neighborhood.

According to the rescuer, Pérez Coiterio was asleep when a wall of his house gave way due to the unstable ground on a hillside, marking the first fatality linked to Tropical Storm Imelda. Neighbors discovered his body beneath the rubble and alerted the Fire Department. Rescue teams from Vista Alegre's Command 4 managed to recover the body from the collapsed debris.

Family members recounted that the house had known structural vulnerabilities, and Pérez had been recently advised to stay with relatives in a safer location. Despite the warnings, he chose to return to his home. His wife, an elderly woman with hearing impairments, survived the incident and was relocated to a safe location, Arias reported. Local authorities were notified, and they extended their condolences to the bereaved family and neighbors.

This tragedy occurs amid ongoing heavy rains that have resulted in floods, river overflows, and landslides across Santiago de Cuba and other eastern provinces due to Tropical Storm Imelda.

In a separate incident, unrelated to the tropical storm, another fatal collapse occurred Sunday morning in Old Havana. A building on Sol Street #466, between Egido and Villegas, collapsed at 9 a.m., as reported by the Old Havana Administrative Council on Facebook. The official statement noted the building had been in poor condition for years, and people living there illegally had repeatedly refused relocation offers.