Editorial by La Estrella de Panama
HAVANA TIMES — Since last October 9, some people have been unable to sleep through an entire night. They wake up startled, mistake every noise for another tremor, and look at the walls of their homes as if they were no longer a safe haven.
In the country’s interior, where the earthquake struck with the greatest force, the aftershocks have prolonged an anguish that does not disappear when the ground becomes still again.
The images of what happened in Venezuela and Colombia were still fresh in our minds. We had watched them with that mixture of concern and detachment that a tragedy affecting others can evoke, until it happened to us.
Since then, one question has been circulating in WhatsApp groups: “Did you feel it?” And simply reading those words is enough to bring back the sudden fright, even when nothing has moved. Because the earthquake has also left wounds that no photograph can capture. There is insomnia, anxiety, children who are afraid to be left alone, and adults who try to hide their own fear.
The emotional toll deserves attention, especially among those who have lost their homes or remain exposed to aftershocks. The Ministry of Health has provided psychological support, but that assistance cannot end when the emergency is over.
Professionals will be needed in local communities, along with continued follow-up and a response that reaches those who have difficulty traveling to seek help. Rebuilding homes will be an enormous task.
Restoring a sense of peace to their residents may take much longer. And it would be an unforgivable mistake if, while counting the material losses, we forgot those who still feel the ground shaking beneath their feet.
First published in Spanish by La Estrella de Panamá and translated and posted in English by Havana Times.