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Santiago de Cuba is attempting to return to normalcy in urban and provincial mobility following the impacts of Hurricane Melissa, with 21 of the 51 routes in the capital municipality already in service and 38 vehicles operating.
According to stated Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the priority is to restore essential connections for neighborhoods still affected by outages and obstacles on the road, in a coordinated effort by the provincial Transportation subgroup, although less than half of the routes are currently operating.
The immediate plan focuses resources in El Cobre, where specialized buses have been added to ensure connectivity with the main area; the maritime route to Cayo Granma is secured; and in the city, Fotón microbuses continue to operate, except in sections that are still obstructed.
Moreover, 18 out of 20 electric tricycles are active and charging stations are being established in restored electrical circuits to reintegrate the rest.
At the same time, the mobilization of the residents of Los Reynaldos is being organized alongside local authorities, with an emphasis on opening "safe corridors."
The tasks extend to key nodes of the infrastructure: at the “Senén Casas Regueiro” terminal, efforts are underway for its full recovery; the “Antonio Maceo” International Airport is operating normally while cleaning efforts are intensified in access areas.
At the port, the official said, trucks are being mobilized to unload a rice ship, in addition to preparing a barge to Granma.
In the road and rail network, isolated roads are being cleared—like the road to La Gran Piedra, which has been closed since kilometer 5.5— and a detour is maintained at the Uvero bridge on the Granma road, while sections of the railway damaged by the storm are being rehabilitated.
As part of the gradual return to normalcy, the Cuban Railroad Union confirmed the partial reinstatement of national passenger trains: Train No. 15 Havana–Holguín will depart on November 5 at 7:05 PM, and Train No. 16 Holguín–Havana will leave on November 7 at 3:20 PM.
Travelers with reservations for affected departures should confirm them at the La Coubre and Holguín stations. Those who decide not to travel may request a 100% refund of the ticket up to 15 days after the service is restored.
Persistent, however, cancellations on long-distance trains to and from Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, and Bayamo–Manzanillo, until repairs on the infrastructure are completed.
Authorities insist that each agency contribute to the cleaning of their exterior areas to expedite the reopening of routes and the full normalization of public transportation in the province.
Hurricane Melissa has left numerous roads impassable in eastern Cuba, particularly affecting the provinces of Granma, Las Tunas, Holguín, and Guantánamo. Segments such as Bayamo–Cauto Embarcadero and Holguín–Moa are under restrictions, while the Moa–Baracoa road only allows specialized transport. Additionally, the bridge over the Salado River on the Las Tunas–Bayamo road is damaged, prohibiting regular traffic.
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