A video shared in the Facebook group Revolico Río Cauto shows the extent of the flooding that has submerged a large part of the Granma municipality, where houses, crops, and roads were completely underwater.
The recording, published by Leodanis Sánchez, was made from a helicopter and reveals a devastated landscape where only the rooftops of the houses are visible, while the rest of the village remains under the floodwaters of the river.
The images reflect a water level so high that it is impossible to distinguish the streets or the boundaries between houses. They also show extensive flooded agricultural areas, indicating severe economic losses for a region that largely depends on rice and sugarcane production.
Neighbors in the municipality have reported on social media that the communities of Guamo Viejo, Cayama, Santa Rosa, and Trinidad are among the most affected. In the videos posted in recent hours, the residents are pleading for help and claim that “90% of the people will lose everything”.
Hurricane Melissa, which struck eastern Cuba with heavy rains, caused the Cauto River, the longest in the country, to overflow, destroying homes and crops in its path.
The authorities have deployed helicopters, amphibious vehicles, and Army rescue teams, although operations are progressing slowly due to the water levels.
The images shared by Sánchez have quickly gone viral on social media, becoming a symbol of disaster and of the vulnerability of thousands of families in eastern Cuba.
“Sending strength to my people from the neighborhood where I was born and raised. The house of everyone is underwater, how sad,” commented a user shocked by the magnitude of the tragedy.
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