The first effects of the powerful hurricane Melissa began to be felt this Monday in Santiago de Cuba, where the sky has darkened and the winds are increasing in intensity as the phenomenon approaches eastern Cuba.
Images circulated by independent media show the deterioration over time in the province, as tensions and concerns among the residents grow.
A video published by CubaNet Noticias shows the overcast sky and the wind stirring the vegetation in the city. “In Santiago de Cuba, the first effects of Hurricane Melissa are already being felt,” warns the reporter in the clip.
"Although there is still quite a bit of time before the cyclone makes landfall, the weather has deteriorated in this way. May God protect Santiago and the rest of the eastern province, because this is going to be catastrophic," he adds.
At the same time, the opposition figure José Daniel Ferrer shared similar images on the social media platform X, where he warned about the vulnerability of the population in the face of the impending phenomenon:
"Hurricane Melissa is approaching, and the population lacks the basics to face such a powerful natural phenomenon. There is a shortage of food, medicine, blackouts... even though they 'prioritize' the eastern region," he wrote.
Hurricane Melissa, which reached category 5 this Monday with maximum sustained winds of 270 kilometers per hour, is located about 530 kilometers southwest of Guantánamo, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Experts warn that the cyclone is moving slowly west at only 6 km/h, but it could turn north in the coming hours, directing its core directly toward Jamaica and then toward eastern Cuba on Tuesday night.
The Civil Defense has declared a warning for Las Tunas, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Holguín, due to the forecast of catastrophic winds, intense rainfall of up to 450 millimeters, and storm surges with waves that could reach heights between 2 and 3.3 meters.
The authorities in Santiago de Cuba reported on Sunday that preparations are underway for the evacuation of more than 258,000 people, with particular attention to coastal and mountainous municipalities, including Guamá, where the sea is already showing signs of agitation.
The first swells were recorded since Sunday along the southern coast of Granma, especially in Punta de Piedra, near Marea del Portillo. In videos shared by local residents and television stations, the waves can be seen crashing powerfully against the rocky coast as the wind intensifies.
The combination of sustained winds, torrential rains, and storm surges puts eastern Cuba in a critical situation. If the hurricane maintains its current trajectory, it could become one of the most destructive events the region has faced in decades.
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