A video shared from El Cobre, in Santiago de Cuba, reveals a devastating scene following Hurricane Melissa: houses without roofs, fallen trees and power lines, landslides, and destroyed homes.
The community is "left to fend for itself," according to denounced activist Carolina Barrero, who shared the material from the sources and urged not to abandon those affected.
"Nothing and no one from this misgovernment has gone to help. They only boast about victories that are detached from reality", he wrote.
The extent of the damage was confirmed by the official journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso, who described El Cobre as "the town where the winds of Melissa got trapped and sent everything flying," with a population that was "struck both materially and spiritually" after the hurricane.
The scenes circulating show collapsed structures and neighbors trying to recover belongings from the rubble and mud.
Among the most affected places is the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the spiritual home of all Cubans, which suffered severe damage.
In a Facebook post, the user Óscar Parada Pérez lamented the condition of the temple with words that reflected a collective sentiment.
"The house that we all visit, the house that is always open, the house of all Cubans, the house of the Mother… is in ruins," he said.
Even so, within the sanctuary itself, efforts are being organized to assess the damage and assist the most affected families.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the situation became critical in the town with torrential rains and landslides. Official reports and social media posts indicated that 17 people —including children and elderly adults— were trapped after a slope collapsed in Loma del Cimarrón, an area further affected by the sudden rise of the river that runs through the town.
Rescue and salvage teams from the Ministry of the Interior and the Civil Defense were deployed from the early hours, but their efforts were hindered by flooded terrain, landslides, and blocked access routes.
Amid the pain left by the images and the symbolic value of El Cobre to the nation, there are increasing calls to maintain solidarity and to expedite assistance.
The communities are trying to rebuild their daily lives in the face of material losses and spiritual impact revealed by Hurricane Melissa.
The passage of Hurricane Melissa left severe flooding in Santiago de Cuba, as well as structural damage.
The accumulated rainfall in El Cobre exceeded 267 millimeters, according to data from the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET).
On the coast of Guamá, where the eye of the cyclone made landfall early Wednesday morning, the waves exceeded four meters, and winds of up to 185 km/h destroyed roofs, swept away boats, and left communities cut off.
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