Santiago de Cuba Faces Severe Impact from Hurricane Melissa

The province of Santiago de Cuba is reporting severe damage today due to meteorological conditions associated with Hurricane Melissa, which is poised to impact the eastern region of the Caribbean nation.

The President of the Provincial Defense Council, Beatriz Johnson, reported that constant communication is being maintained with radio amateurs to monitor the cyclone's evolution in real time. The hurricane's eye is forecasted to make landfall in the municipality of Guamá.

Although the hurricane's center has not yet crossed the coastline, torrential rains, intense sustained winds, and coastal flooding are already being recorded.

In the city of Santiago de Cuba, the Zona + cultural center suffered a complete shattering of its glass facade, while several streets remain flooded due to the intense precipitation preceding the direct impact.

According to Johnson, the situation is critical in the town of El Cobre, where the rising river has triggered landslides. In the locality of Loma del Cimarrón, 17 people, including children and the elderly, remain isolated in a house. Rescue teams are working on their immediate evacuation, she specified.

In Palma Soriano, the Charco Mono dam has overflowed after receiving more than 150 millimeters of rain in less than an hour, representing a highly complex hydrological risk.

"The priority is people's lives," Johnson emphasized, confirming that rescue and salvage operations remain active throughout the province.