Partial Building Collapse in El Vedado Highlights Cuba's Housing Crisis

A partial collapse on Wednesday in an El Vedado building has once again underscored the severe deterioration of housing infrastructure in Cuba's capital, where such incidents are becoming alarmingly frequent.

The Plaza de la Revolución Municipal Administration Council reported that the collapse took place late in the afternoon at a property located at Calle L No. 5355, between Calzada and 11, in the Rampa Popular Council.

The collapse was caused by the detachment of a large marquee, prompting a precautionary reinforcement of the building's lower levels. Authorities confirmed that the rest of the structure remained intact and no injuries were reported among the residents.

Rescue teams, along with municipal government representatives and officials from the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), arrived on the scene, as noted in the official statement.

This incident adds to the growing list of structural failures plaguing Havana, where countless families reside in decaying buildings lacking essential maintenance.

Earlier this week, a similar event occurred in Old Havana, when a balcony from the Macera building, located at Teniente Rey 118, between Cuba and San Ignacio, partially collapsed, landing on a vehicle parked near several ATMs.

No injuries were reported in this case either, but the collapse caused significant alarm among passersby.

Building collapses in Havana have become a grim routine, mirroring the island's deepening housing crisis. The shortage of materials, lack of government attention, and absence of sustained repair programs have left thousands of Cubans living on the edge.

While the regime continues to prioritize investments in tourism and military sectors, the populace bears the brunt of their crumbling homes, many of which were constructed in the early 20th century and have never been restored.