In the early hours of Wednesday, October 29, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba, unleashing its destructive forces across several eastern provinces.
Boasting sustained winds of 121 mph, torrential rains, and hazardous storm surges, this formidable Category 3 hurricane left a trail of destruction, flooding, and chaos in its wake across the municipalities of Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas.
Below, we present a selection of images capturing the hurricane's impact on each of these provinces.
Granma: Streets Turned to Rivers
From Bayamo, the capital of Granma, images broadcasted by CMKX Radio Bayamo and CNC TV Granma reveal the disaster's magnitude. Streets transformed into raging rivers as electric poles and trees were violently uprooted. Videos show water completely submerging sidewalks in front of public buildings and homes in the historic center. The wind and rain dramatically altered the urban landscape, leaving behind a scene of devastation that will be hard to forget.
Santiago de Cuba: The First Strike
The hurricane first struck the southern coast of Santiago de Cuba at El Francés beach in Guamá municipality, near Chivirico, at 3:10 a.m. Local reports describe how the city of Santiago and other municipalities woke up to the visible aftermath of the cyclone. Streets were completely flooded, roofs torn off by the winds, power lines downed, and severe electrical outages. Palma Soriano and Baire in Contramaestre also suffered significant damage. In Santiago de Cuba, accumulated rainfall exceeded 9.8 inches, with the Sierra Maestra reporting over 11.8 inches, elevating the risk of flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.
Holguín: Severe Flooding in Sagua de Tánamo
The municipality of Sagua de Tánamo in Holguín emerged as one of the province's most affected areas after Hurricane Melissa's passage. The overflow of the Sagua river caused severe flooding in various sectors. During the early hours of Wednesday, social media users shared striking images and videos showing streets turned into rivers and homes partially submerged. In Cueto, another affected municipality, residents report historic water levels inundating homes, businesses, and main roads.
Guantánamo: Outer Bands Cause Havoc
Although Guantánamo did not endure a direct hit, the hurricane's outer bands severely impacted the province. The city of Baracoa experienced intense rainfall, hurricane-force gusts, and power outages. Numerous areas reported fallen trees and flooding, with residents remaining sheltered until conditions improve.
Las Tunas: Lesser but Notable Damage
While less affected than neighboring provinces, Las Tunas still experienced some collapses, roof damage, and fallen trees.
Melissa Moves Away from Cuba
At 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Melissa was positioned off Cuba's eastern coast, now in the southwestern Atlantic. It is moving northeast at a speed of 14 mph with a central pressure of 974 mb, continuing to bring heavy rain and storm surges to the island.
The NHC's latest advisory places the hurricane's center approximately 152 miles south of central Bahamas and 1,003 miles southwest of Bermuda. The center is expected to accelerate along this path in the coming days.
A broad range of warnings has been issued by the NHC: a hurricane warning for the Cuban provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Las Tunas, as well as for the southeastern and central Bahamas and Bermuda; a tropical storm warning for Haiti, Camagüey, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In Cuba, hurricane conditions are underway within the warned area, with weakening anticipated later today, while the Bahamas expect hurricane conditions today and the Turks and Caicos brace for tropical storm conditions.
FAQs on Hurricane Melissa's Impact in Eastern Cuba
What areas were most affected by Hurricane Melissa in Cuba?
The areas most affected by Hurricane Melissa included Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguín, Guantánamo, and Las Tunas, with severe flooding and damage to infrastructure reported.
How did Hurricane Melissa impact Santiago de Cuba?
Santiago de Cuba experienced flooding, roof damage, power outages, and downed power lines, with significant damage in Palma Soriano and Baire in Contramaestre.
What was the impact of the hurricane in Holguín?
Holguín, particularly the municipality of Sagua de Tánamo, faced severe flooding due to the overflow of the Sagua river, affecting homes, businesses, and roads.