Hurricane Melissa left more than 270 schools affected in Guantánamo, four of which had total collapses

The passage of Hurricane Melissa through eastern Cuba caused severe damage to the education sector in the province of Guantánamo, where more than 270 schools were affected, according to the state newspaper Venceremos.

According to the report, the municipalities of Guantánamo, El Salvador, Baracoa, and Manuel Tames were the hardest hit, with significant damage to roofs and windows.

The Director General of Education in the province, Raquel Laviste Villafruela, specified that four centers suffered total collapses, located in areas of the Turquino Plan: two in Manuel Tames —in the popular councils of La Tagua and Santa Catalina—, one in Imías, and another in El Salvador.

According to the official, the enrollment of those schools was relocated to facilities of other organizations to ensure the continuation of the school year. Additionally, 23 of the affected entities were rendered unfit to resume classes at their locations, prompting the authorities to adopt alternatives such as transferring to other centers, hosting in family homes, or with the teachers themselves.

Laviste Villafruela explained that, despite the difficulties, “the educational process continues” and assured that food has been provided in the boarding schools and childcare centers, in addition to prioritizing transportation for teachers to the most affected municipalities: Manuel Tames, El Salvador, Niceto Pérez, and Caimanera.

Regarding rehabilitation efforts, it was noted that many centers managed to recover the same roofs that were torn off by the winds, while the first 750 tiles delivered by the Provincial Defense Council were allocated to the most damaged schools, particularly in Baracoa, Maisí, and Imías.

Some 412 schools resumed their activities on Monday, November 3, although with low student attendance, while other general and artistic education centers did so throughout the week, and universities have recently begun their reintegration.

The educational landscape adds to the severe damage reported to homes nationwide following the hurricane, which caused 1,318 total collapses and more than 16,000 homes damaged in several eastern provinces, including Guantánamo.

The government has promised assistance to those affected and the sale of construction materials, but the economic crisis and resource shortages hinder the recovery of the hardest-hit communities.

The hurricane Melissa, which struck the island as a category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, hit during the early hours of Wednesday with winds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, heavy rains, and storm surges that left communities devastated in Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas, and Guantánamo.