Seventy percent of Cuba's population has power again as the island recovers from a nationwide blackout and a hurricane that left seven people dead, the government said Tuesday.

The repeated failure of the power grid and a hurricane that has swamped the island’s eastern end has many Cubans fed up, posing a challenge to the Communist government.

Cuba's capital was partially illuminated on Tuesday after a large-scale blackout generated a handful of protests and a stern government warning that any unrest would be punished.

Electricity outages have paralyzed an already-crippled economy, leading to shortages of everything from cash to running water.

Many Cubans waited in anguish late Sunday as electricity on much of the island had yet to be restored days after an island-wide blackout. Their concerns were heightened as Hurricane Oscar slammed into Cuba’s eastern coast,

Cuba's capital was partially illuminated Monday night after a massive blackout that has generated a handful of protests and a stern government warning that any unrest will be punished.

Hurricane Oscar left six people dead after hitting Cuba over the weekend during a major power blackout, authorities said Monday, as electricity was restored to most of the capital.

Hurricane Oscar made landfall Sunday before crossing the island’s eastern coast as a tropical storm Monday with winds and heavy rain, leaving at least 6 dead.