While oil cut-offs cause Cuba blackouts, family members in Colorado Springs can only worry

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The island-wide blackout in Cuba has now lasted 72 hours. Thousands of miles away from his family in Cuba, Miguel Alejando Gomez Perez can only worry.

For Perez and his family, the blackout has done more than take away their electricity and power to cook.

It's exacerbated an already desperate search for a family member.

Perez's brother-in-law, Giovanni, has been missing for 18 days, and the local police in Cuba haven't been much help.

"They say, like, hey, we can't do anything. Which leaves them now to having to go and do it themselves, by social media, and asking people, hey, have you seen him? And looking in every single corner of the island to try to find him," Perez said through a KRDO13 translator.

"His nieces have not stopped looking for their dad. They, you know, haven't slept. It's frustrating and devastating that he cannot do much," Perez said, fighting back tears.

CNN is reporting that 55% of Cuba has regained power, but it's unclear if Perez's family has had their power come back on.