Baracoa woke up this Wednesday to intense rains and strong gusts of wind caused by Hurricane Melissa, which continues its movement across eastern Cuba heading northeast.
Although the center of the system did not pass directly over the city of Guantanamo, its outer bands have severely impacted the easternmost region of the country, causing fallen trees, flooding, and power outages.
The images shared on social media by opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer García depict the violent movement of trees, flooded streets, and the impact of the wind on local vegetation.
"This is how it dawned in Baracoa, Guantánamo, #Cuba. Hurricane Melissa. The hour of #Solidarity," Ferrer wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter), sharing videos that capture the severity of the phenomenon in the region.
According to weather reports, gusts in Baracoa have exceeded 100 km/h, while accumulated rainfall has reached around 250 millimeters, causing rising levels in nearby rivers and streams.
Local authorities have urged the population to stay in safe places due to the risk of landslides in the mountainous areas of Yunque and Maisí.
Despite being over 80 kilometers away from the center of the hurricane, Baracoa has strongly felt its effects due to the extensive wind field of Melissa, which continues to affect much of eastern Cuba.
The Meteorology Institute (INSMET) reported that adverse conditions will persist over the next few hours as the system moves out to sea north of Holguín. The call to exercise extreme caution, avoid travel, and follow the guidance of the Civil Defense remains in effect.
Collapse of the Quiviján bridge due to prior rains from Melissa
On October 24th, when Melissa was still a tropical storm, the intense rains associated with its large circulation caused landslides and the partial collapse of the Quiviján bridge in the municipality of Baracoa.
According to the local media Venceremos, the disaster interrupted a key access route to mountain communities, as well as impacting cocoa and coconut crops, which are pillars of the Baracoa economy.
The rising streams and soil saturation caused landslides on roads and flooding in low-lying areas such as Flora and Turey, while local authorities conducted technical assessments and clearing operations.
That event marked the beginning of a series of impacts that are now exacerbated by the direct effects of the hurricane, highlighting the vulnerability of the road and agricultural infrastructure in the easternmost part of Cuba.
Filed under: