Floodwaters Stall Rescue Efforts: Holguín Communities Remain Cut Off After Hurricane Melissa

Due to the overflow of the Cauto River, several communities in Urbano Noris municipality, Holguín, are currently isolated, preventing rescue operations from being fully executed after the passage of Hurricane Melissa. This was reported in an official update released at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday.

Local authorities have described the situation as "critical" due to severe flooding, with at least eight incidents prioritized for response in areas such as Estrada, San Bartolo, Travesía, Cauto 3, and the Popular Council of Urbano Sur.

"We have been in contact with community members in Travesía, La Camilo, 20 Rosas, Sabanilla, Saín, Dos Bocas, and Estrada. All are awaiting rescue. Various attempts have been made to reach these rural areas, but the sheer volume of water has thwarted these operations," stated a report from Radio SG La voz del Azúcar.

Rescue teams have successfully reached communities in Rey, El Zorral, and San Bartolo, also providing assistance to a family at the cleaning center in Council Sur.

Access routes from the municipal center to El Zorral and Cauto 3 had to be cleared, allowing for resource movement, damage assessments, and the evacuation of those initially affected where water levels permitted.

Despite these efforts, adverse hydrometeorological conditions have hindered further attempts to reach other rural settlements. Only communication with residents of Travesía, La Camilo, 20 Rosas, Sabanilla, Saín, Dos Bocas, and Estrada has been maintained, as they continue to await rescue.

The local report notes that the accumulation of water on roads and access paths has caused several planned operations to break the isolation to fail.

In the afternoon, additional forces from the Eastern Army were brought in to bolster rescue efforts.

With their assistance, a number of victims in the rural community of Rey-2 were rescued. This required clearing a section of the San Germán–Holguín route, a corridor crucial for accessing other still unreachable hamlets.

As long as the flooding and lack of access persist, the emergency teams will focus on safeguarding the lives of the Sangermanenses—residents of the municipal center of San Germán—maintaining communication with isolated clusters, and opening safe corridors to evacuate those at heightened risk.

The Municipal Defense Council has stated that there is "no rest" in protecting the population and that efforts are also aimed at restoring critical roadways to expedite aid delivery to the most affected areas.