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Residents of Santiago de Cuba reported heavy rainfall and gusts of wind on Tuesday afternoon associated with Hurricane Melissa, as the powerful system dangerously approaches the eastern part of the island.
The reports were shared by communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada on his social media, along with videos and testimonies from various municipalities in Santiago.
VIDEO REPORTS FROM VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES IN SANTIAGO, Mayeta wrote in a post accompanied by images of heavy rains and strong winds in areas such as Dos Caminos, San Luis, and the city of Santiago de Cuba.
The videos show branches and electric cables falling, as well as the violent movement of trees due to the cyclone's gusts.
"Rain and sporadic gusts of wind from Dos Caminos, San Luis," reported the communicator in another message, warning the people of Santiago about the worsening weather conditions as Melissa approaches the southern coast of the province.
On social media, the hashtag #HuracánMelissa has become one of the most used by Cuban users, with videos and photographs showing the first effects of the atmospheric phenomenon on the eastern part of the country.
Mayeta, known for his citizen coverage on social media under the profile "Kuba x Dentro", warned that the effects are felt "even before the eye of the hurricane arrives."
In the afternoon, tropical storm winds caused the fall of trees, power lines, and debris in various areas of the city of Santiago de Cuba, as confirmed by the communicator himself during a live broadcast on his Facebook profile.
Gusts of tropical storm winds are being felt in Santiago de Cuba, and they are beginning to topple trees and power lines, it was published, along with photographs showing partially flooded streets and fallen branches on public roads.
From the official profile Tocororo Cubano, the first images of the damage caused by Melissa in the province also emerged.
The impacts of Hurricane Melissa are already being felt, the state media indicated on its Facebook account, showing fallen poles and water accumulation in neighborhoods of the main municipality.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States and the weather platform Windy.com agree that the eye of Hurricane Melissa will make landfall around 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday in the area of Uvero–Chivirico, in Santiago de Cuba, with sustained winds nearing 222 kilometers per hour.
Local authorities have already evacuated vulnerable communities in Guamá, Chivirico, and El Cobre, while preventive measures are being strengthened in response to the threat of storm surges, landslides, and flooding.
The hurricane Melissa emerged this Tuesday off the northern coast of western Jamaica and continues moving towards eastern Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 230 km/h (145 mph), classified as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Its direct impact could raise it back to category 5 when it makes landfall early Wednesday morning.
The renowned Cuban meteorologist José Rubiera issued a urgent alert regarding the imminent arrival of the system, warning that the phenomenon “will be destructive” and urged the population to protect their lives and those of their families.
The eastern region of Cuba will face extreme conditions. It's time to act with discipline and prevention, he stated.
In the meantime, people from Santiago continue to report the preliminary effects of the cyclone on social media, where concerns are growing about the intensity of the wind and the rain.
A few hours before impact, eastern Cuba is under maximum alert and preventive power outages are underway.
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