The hurricane Melissa, classified as extremely dangerous, made landfall in Cuba at 3:10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 29, along the south coast of Santiago de Cuba province, in the Guamá municipality, specifically at El Francés beach, near the city of Chivirico, as confirmed by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States.
Radar and satellite images indicate that Melissa made landfall with sustained maximum winds of 195 kilometers per hour and a minimum central pressure of 952 millibars, keeping it at a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
The impact occurred after the system left a trail of destruction in Jamaica, where it caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and severe structural damage. In Cuba, the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, and Las Tunas remain under hurricane warning.
Extreme conditions in Eastern Cuba
The NHC warned that the phenomenon is already causing torrential rains, violent gusts, and storm surges of between 8 and 12 feet above sea level, especially along the eastern coasts of the country. These conditions pose a direct threat to life and could lead to flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.
It is expected that the cyclone will maintain its intensity while moving towards the northeast, crossing the eastern region of Cuba in the coming hours before heading to the southeast of the Bahamas.
Civil Defense maintains the cyclone alert
The authorities of the Civil Defense maintain the hurricane alarm phase across eastern Cuba and urge the population to stay in safe shelters, avoid going out during the hurricane's passage, and keep away from coastal areas or swollen rivers.
Hurricane-force winds extend up to 45 kilometers from the center and tropical storm winds reach a radius of up to 315 kilometers. Extreme conditions will persist throughout the morning this Wednesday.
The NHC warned that Melissa continues to be a system of great intensity and that its movement could generate dangerous surf and storm surges along the southeastern coast of Cuba.
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