Five cases of burglary with force were reported in the province of Granma following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, as confirmed by the president of the Defense Council and first secretary of the Communist Party, Yudelkis Ortiz.
In the midst of the crisis caused by the meteor, which left severe material damage and thousands of affected individuals in Granma, local authorities reported an increase in property crimes.
A total of five break-ins were reported in different municipalities, committed by individuals who took advantage of the vulnerable situation, Ortiz confirmed this Thursday during a videoconference, at a meeting of the National Defense Council, broadcasted on the program Desde la Presidencia, led by the president of the National Defense Council and ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel.
"We will be relentless with everything: anyone who takes advantage of such a difficult situation and engages in a crime of this nature or any other will be punished severely," warned the official during a damage assessment meeting.
The announcement comes as the province tries to recover from the damage caused by the cyclone, which affected homes, power lines, and food supplies.
Reports of thefts and looting exacerbate the climate of social tension and reinforce the feeling of insecurity in one of the hardest-hit areas of eastern Cuba.
Also this Friday, the official page Héroes del Moncada reported on Facebook that two men residing in the José Martí District, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, were arrested after being caught taking advantage of the damage caused by Melissa to commit acts of looting.
Before the arrival of Melissa, Ortiz herself acknowledged the lack of preparedness in several areas of the eastern province in light of the impending phenomenon.
According to official figures, more than 45,000 homes have been damaged, mostly in their roofs, and 14,000 people remain evacuated in state facilities.
The Cuban government has also acknowledged that more than 1,500 schools were affected, and that nearly 78,700 hectares of crops, mostly bananas, were devastated.
Although authorities claim that “progress is being made in restoring electricity and water supply”, citizens are reporting a lack of resources, slow relief efforts, and prolonged power outages.
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