In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, a young man known as Toti, from Cayo Granma in Santiago de Cuba's bay, finds himself in a dire situation. Standing amidst the debris that was once his home, surrounded by drenched mattresses and collapsed walls, he faces the harsh reality of having no food or medicine for his family.
This heartbreaking scene was shared through Conducta Dade's social media platforms, a project dedicated to highlighting the struggles of vulnerable Cubans. Currently, their focus is on individuals like Toti who have experienced complete destruction of their homes due to the hurricane.
“I lost everything... the roof, the furniture, my daughter's clothes and books,” Toti says, his voice filled with emotion as he walks through his devastated home.
His story paints a vivid picture of the human tragedy left by Melissa in one of the hardest-hit areas of Santiago de Cuba.
“As of now, we've been unable to salvage anything. We have nothing to eat, no milk for the child, and no money to buy food,” the young man laments, adding that he will spend the night at a neighbor's house.
The shared footage reveals collapsed roofs, destroyed appliances, and a family without the means to rebuild, all amidst an institutional silence that hangs over the hardest-hit communities.
The Cayo Granma community is entrenched in devastation following Hurricane Melissa's onslaught. The cyclone, which struck eastern Cuba as a category 3 storm, led to the destruction of numerous homes and the total loss of material possessions for many families.
Evidence of the disaster is circulating on Facebook, especially within the "Amigos del Cayo" group, where various users have posted videos showcasing the extent of the damage. These recordings depict the violent impact on the structures of the small islet at the entrance to the Santiago Bay.
The virtual community's shared images portray a scene of ruin: completely collapsed residences, roofs ripped off, and overturned boats, all consequences of the storm's fierce winds and powerful waves.
In a separate account, a resident from the Chicharrones neighborhood in Veguita de Galo, Santiago de Cuba, shared a video with CiberCuba showing his home in ruins post-storm. His yard is littered with twisted zinc sheets, fallen trees, and remnants of furniture and bedding.
Meanwhile, in Contramaestre, entire neighborhoods were submerged in water and mud after several rivers in the area overflowed.
The hurricane left a trail of destruction in Guamá, a coastal municipality in Santiago de Cuba, where it made landfall on Wednesday with winds reaching approximately 124 mph. The aftermath includes demolished homes, uprooted trees, and paths blocked by tons of debris.
Understanding the Impact of Hurricane Melissa in Cuba
How did Hurricane Melissa affect Cayo Granma?
Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage in Cayo Granma, leaving many residents like Toti with destroyed homes and without basic necessities such as food and medicine.
What is the current situation for families affected by the hurricane?
Many families in the affected areas are facing a lack of resources, including food and shelter, and are receiving little to no institutional support to begin rebuilding.
What has been the response on social media to the hurricane's impact?
Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, have become a space for sharing videos and images that document the scale of destruction, helping to raise awareness of the situation.