Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc as it passed through eastern Cuba, leaving Cayo Granma in Santiago de Cuba engulfed in devastation, with destroyed homes and families who have lost everything.
In the Facebook group "Friends of Cayo", several users shared videos that show the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which, upon entering eastern Cuba as a category 3 hurricane, wreaked havoc on the homes of the small islet located at the entrance of Santiago de Cuba Bay.
The images shared in that community show scenes of total destruction, with collapsed houses, torn roofs, and boats overturned by the force of the winds and the waves.
In the videos, people sadly identify the destroyed homes, as well as important places for the community such as the pharmacy.
The voices of the residents can also be heard describing the damage to their homes, while the images show entire roofs displaced from the buildings, beams on the floor, and tiles piled everywhere.
The materials also show fallen poles and wires, and above all, a large percentage of affected homes.
El Cayo, known for its beauty and fishing history, has been transformed into a landscape of ruins and lamentations, a reflection of the impact that Hurricane Melissa has left on Santiago de Cuba and other areas in the eastern part of the country.
The devastation in Cayo Granma is not an isolated case. Hurricane Melissa left a trail of destruction throughout Santiago de Cuba, where the town of Baire was also severely impacted.
There, the streets were filled with rubble, collapsed houses, and uprooted trees, while the residents tried to salvage what little remained standing.
Another symbolic and material blow was dealt to the Santuario del Cobre, regarded by many Cubans as a spiritual and heritage site.
The historic temple suffered severe damage, with collapsed roofs, cracked walls, and damage in key areas of the structure, causing shock among parishioners and heritage advocates.
In Palma Soriano, another town in Santiago, the images show scattered zinc roofs in the streets, broken electricity poles, and families left exposed to the elements.
The magnitude of the disaster across the province makes it clear that recovery will be prolonged, and communities like Cayo Granma will face extraordinary challenges in rebuilding what has been lost.
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