The coastal municipality of Guamá in Santiago de Cuba lies in ruins after Hurricane Melissa made landfall this Wednesday, unleashing winds exceeding 118 mph.
Journalist Luis De Jesús has shared images that paint a grim picture: demolished homes, uprooted trees, and roads obstructed by massive heaps of debris.
"This is the current state of Guamá, the town in Santiago de Cuba where Hurricane Melissa made its impact. We arrived to speak with the locals and see firsthand the havoc wreaked by this fierce cyclone," reported @ldejesusreyes on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), alongside videos captured on-site.
The scenes reveal completely destroyed houses, toppled utility poles, and roads made impassable by rockfalls.
In several areas, roofs were entirely torn off, and electrical wires now dangle dangerously close to the ground.
"There's hardly anything left. The school collapsed, and the clinic lost its roof," recounted a resident from Uvero, the initial strike zone of Melissa. "We sought shelter in a masonry house, but the winds were so intense we feared the walls would give way."
Melissa made its entrance on Cuba's southeast coastline early Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane, with Guamá bearing the brunt of its force. Wind gusts surpassed 124 mph, and storm surges reached over 10 feet high.
Deemed the most powerful storm to hit the eastern region since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Melissa has left behind a preliminary toll of thousands affected and substantial material damage in Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguín, and Granma.
"This is the strongest hurricane we've experienced in many years," shared a resident from Chivirico, another hard-hit community. "The sea surged inland, and the water reached chest level. We've lost everything."
Forty-eight hours post-Melissa, communications remain down across much of Santiago de Cuba's southern coastline. Numerous communities are without power.
Along the coast, Melissa's approach caused road collapses and triggered landslides in the mountains near the Sierra Maestra.
Impact of Hurricane Melissa on Eastern Cuba
How powerful was Hurricane Melissa when it hit Guamá?
Hurricane Melissa struck Guamá as a Category 3 hurricane with wind gusts exceeding 124 mph and storm surges over 10 feet high.
What are some of the damages reported in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa?
The hurricane caused widespread destruction, including demolished homes, uprooted trees, and blocked roads. Many areas are without electricity and communications remain disrupted.
How does Hurricane Melissa compare to previous storms in the region?
Melissa is considered the most powerful hurricane to hit eastern Cuba since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, causing extensive damage and affecting thousands of people.