Related videos:
Hurricane Melissa affected more than 3.5 million Cubans, according to new estimates from the United Nations that significantly raise the initial figures published by the island's government.
The information was published by the agency EFE, which cited an official report from the UN prepared after an evaluation visit to the most devastated areas of eastern Cuba, where the cyclone made landfall twelve days ago at category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
According to the report, more than 90,000 homes suffered partial or total damage and about 100,000 hectares of crops were destroyed.
This represents an increase of 15% and 22%, respectively, compared to the data previously released by the Cuban authorities.
The international organization described the effects of the hurricane as "enormous" and warned that the damages also affect 600 medical facilities and more than 2,000 educational centers, in addition to bridges, roads, dams, and telecommunications antennas.
The impact on the National Electric System is particularly severe: nearly a third of the customers in the five affected provinces remain without electricity almost two weeks after the hurricane passed.
In light of the extent of the damage, the UN presented an Action Plan for Cuba valued at $74.2 million, aimed at meeting the basic needs of approximately one million severely affected individuals, including food, shelter, and access to clean water.
Although the hurricane did not cause any fatalities—according to the official rhetoric—its winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour and rainfall of 400 millimeters in some areas resulted in massive destruction in both rural and urban communities.
The country is facing this emergency amid a deep economic crisis, characterized by shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, persistent inflation, a health crisis, and prolonged daily blackouts.
Melissa's devastation exacerbates the situation in a town that was already living on the edge.
After Hurricane Melissa passed through eastern Cuba, the regime reported 1,318 total collapses of homes, and additionally 16,464 affected homes were recorded, of which 1,142 have partial damage.
Regarding the roofs, 5,279 were completely lost and another 8,666 suffered partial destruction.
A subsequent report raised the number of affected homes to 45,000 cases. “Preliminarily, there are 45,282 reported damages in homes, mostly to roofs. The delivery of tiles has already begun,” stated the official account of the Presidency of Cuba on the social media platform X.
However, preliminary figures—according to the UN and prior to the update this Monday—indicated over 60,000 homes damaged or destroyed, 461 health facilities affected, 1,552 schools with structural damage, and 78,700 hectares of crops devastated.
Filed under: