**Hurricane Oscar Poised to Batter Cuba as Nation Faces Severe Power Crisis**

As Cuba grapples with a debilitating nationwide blackout, Hurricane Oscar is heading towards its northeastern coast with daunting force. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States confirmed that Oscar has reached maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) and is anticipated to make landfall on Sunday afternoon or evening.

The Cuban meteorological survey has urgently warned residents in the eastern region of what it described as "an extremely dangerous situation." This area has largely been deprived of both electricity and communication in the lead-up to the hurricane's arrival. The storm's impact comes at a critical moment, just days after the failure of Cuba's largest power plant further crippled the already frail national grid, exacerbating shortages of essential supplies such as food, medicine, fuel, and water.

Efforts are underway to mitigate the crisis. State-run news outlet CubaDebate has reported that the Antonio Guiteras power plant has resumed operations on Sunday and will contribute to the restoration of power services throughout the day. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel expressed in a social media post that authorities in the eastern part of the island are "working hard to protect the people and economic resources, given the imminent arrival of Hurricane Oscar."

The power grid initially crashed on Friday following the shutdown of the power plant, collapsing once again on Saturday morning. Despite some progress reported by Saturday evening, the grid faced another collapse, leaving millions without power early on Sunday.

One resident, Rafael Carrillo, a 41-year-old mechanic, voiced the frustrations shared by many, lamenting the power outages that have plagued the nation for weeks with some areas experiencing outages lasting up to 20 hours a day. The blackout has also disrupted public transportation, compelling Carrillo to walk almost 5 kilometers (3 miles).

In response to the situation, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero declared an "energy emergency," suspending non-essential public services to prioritize electricity supply to homes. President Diaz-Canel attributed the energy woes to Cuba's struggle in securing fuel for its power plants, a challenge he linked to the increasingly stringent six-decade-long US trade embargo.

The energy crisis also brings back memories of last summer when blackouts triggered unprecedented public protests, resulting in one death and dozens of injuries. Additionally, the island endured months of daily, hours-long power outages in 2022, culminating in a nationwide blackout caused by Hurricane Ian.

As Hurricane Oscar looms, Cuba finds itself in a precarious position, forced to navigate a confluence of natural and man-made crises.