Families in Camagüey are trying to recover from the collapse as fears rise over the arrival of Melissa

Several families in Camagüey are trying to recover from the collapse that occurred this Friday on Horca Street, in the heart of the city's historic center, while concerns grow over the approach of Hurricane Melissa, which threatens more rain and strong winds in the coming hours.

According to Televisión Camagüey, cleanup efforts have been progressing since the night of the incident, and the affected road has been restored, risks of further collapses have been eliminated, and debris from inside the damaged homes has been removed.

Local government brigades and state-owned enterprises continue to work in the area to stabilize the structures and prevent further damage, the state media reports.

The collapse, which affected three homes and left several families affected, did not result in any loss of life or injuries. However, the fear and emotional aftermath linger among the neighbors. One of the collapsed houses was inhabited by a mother and her daughter, who managed to escape moments before the facade gave way.

Experts attribute the collapse to the moisture accumulated in the structures, weakened by recent rains.

The event occurs just as the province is preparing to face the impact of Hurricane Melissa, whose outer bands are already causing heavy rainfall in the eastern and central parts of the country.

Melissa, moving northwest with the potential to intensify, keeps Cubans on alert due to the risk of flooding and further collapses, especially in cities with dilapidated housing like Camagüey.

Residents of Horca Street, where the incident occurred, claim that the tragedy "could have been worse" and fear that new rains may end up affecting other homes in the area.

"Here, almost all the houses have cracks or humidity. With another heavy rain, any of them could come down," commented a neighbor on the condition of anonymity.

The incident once again highlights the critical state of the housing stock in Camagüey, and throughout Cuba, where hundreds of buildings show structural damage due to a lack of maintenance and construction materials.

Meanwhile, the affected families are trying to recover what little they could save, with the uncertainty of not knowing what will happen if the hurricane ultimately strikes the province.