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The Cuban government acknowledged this Sunday that the provinces of Granma and Santiago de Cuba are facing a "very complex" situation due to the imminent arrival of hurricane Melissa, a powerful system that is moving towards the east of the island with winds exceeding 200 km/h and heavy rains that threaten coastal flooding and the overflow of rivers and reservoirs.
During a meeting of the National Defense Council, led by Miguel Díaz-Canel, authorities warned that the phenomenon poses an "imminent danger" to the country.
The director of the Institute of Meteorology (Insmet), Celso Pazos, specified that Melissa will make landfall on Tuesday night in the eastern region, where it will remain for at least 12 hours before moving north.
The First Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman warned about the risk of severe flooding in Granma and Santiago, two regions where swollen rivers, reservoirs at capacity, and low coastal areas converge, which could exacerbate the impact of the storm.
"The situation is very complex due to the confluence of several factors," admitted Chapman, also mentioning the discharge from reservoirs and the nighttime overflow of the Gulf of Guacanayabo, which hinders the natural drainage of water.
Amidst that tension, local media reported that the Cauto El Paso dam, the largest in Granma, began releasing over 900 cubic meters of water per second as a preventive measure to accommodate the rains from the hurricane.
The reservoir, which is at 44% of its capacity, drains excess water to low-lying areas that encompass parts of Holguín and Santiago de Cuba, an operation supervised by engineers and provincial authorities, they said.
Local authorities confirmed mass evacuations. In Granma, the president of the Provincial Defense Council, Yudelquis Ortiz Barceló, reported that more than 110,000 people are expected to be protected, while in Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia reported the mobilization of 258,000 residents.
In Holguín and Guantánamo, evacuation plans and measures were also activated to ensure food, medical services, and animal protection.
The leader Díaz-Canel urged to maintain “constant communication with the people” and to “use all possible means” to protect human lives in what he described as a high-risk event. He emphasized that the country is facing this emergency amidst a critical electrical situation, which could complicate the response efforts.
A vulnerable East
Melissa, which has strengthened to a category 4, is testing a region that has historically been hit by cyclones and is characterized by fragile infrastructure, prolonged power outages, and food shortages.
Satellite images show a compact and highly intense system, with a broad cloud field that is already affecting eastern Cuba with intermittent rain.
In various areas of the country, citizens have expressed concern about the lack of supplies, the deterioration of housing, and the limited response capacity to an event of this magnitude. “Everything we don’t do now, we will lose later,” warned Díaz-Canel, emphasizing that the top priority is to save lives.
Expectation and fear
As the hurricane approaches, the country is experiencing tense hours of waiting. The Civil Defense has urged the population not to be complacent, to follow official guidelines, and to evacuate risk areas without delay.
On social media, many Cubans are expressing fear about what is to come, recalling the devastating impact of previous hurricanes such as Sandy, Ian, Matthew, or Oscar.
As Melissa approaches the southern coast of eastern Cuba, the scene points to one of the biggest weather emergencies in recent years, with a weary population once again preparing to endure amid uncertainty and hope.
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