Cuba Faces Ongoing Recovery Challenges Post-Hurricane Melissa

Cuba continues to grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island on October 29, leaving significant devastation, particularly in Santiago de Cuba. According to OnCuba News, nearly 60 percent of Santiago's population remains without electricity, as the recovery efforts are ongoing more than two weeks post-hurricane. The government reported that over 149,000 homes were damaged across the eastern region, with Santiago de Cuba accounting for more than 95,000 of those, including over 2,300 homes that were completely destroyed. The extensive damage also affected local infrastructure and essential services.

As the Prime Minister Manuel Marrero highlighted during a National Defense Council meeting, the situation remains complex and challenging. More than 158,000 hectares of agricultural land were impacted, further complicating food supply issues. Schools in Santiago have been reopened despite the damage, with more than 50 percent of educational facilities affected. However, this reopening comes amid growing health concerns, as the provinces are witnessing a surge in diseases like dengue and chikungunya, exacerbated by the deteriorated environmental conditions resulting from the hurricane.

Efforts to restore basic services have seen uneven progress. Reports indicate that while 84 percent of electricity has been restored in Santiago city, only 43 percent of the province has regained power. Water supply has been slightly better, with 68 percent availability across the province. However, mobile phone services lag behind, with only 48 percent operational. The cleanup process is also behind schedule, with only a 43 percent progress rate in the capital, as municipalities rely on local resources and external support to recover.

In neighboring provinces like Guantanamo, recovery has been swifter, with 26 percent of damaged homes already repaired and electricity nearly fully restored. However, Granma province still faces significant challenges, with about 8,000 homes damaged and ongoing rain causing additional evacuations. The Vice President of the Provincial Defense Council in Granma mentioned that four municipalities have reached a phase of normalcy, yet many communities remain isolated due to road damage.

As recovery efforts continue, the Cuban government has initiated various measures to assist affected families, including subsidies for construction materials and the establishment of new service points for resource distribution. The aviation sector is slowly resuming operations, with the Antonio Maceo International Airport restarting national flights, although it has not yet returned to full functionality. Authorities are also working to restore transportation services, with buses gradually resuming routes, despite ongoing issues with damaged roads and railways.

The situation post-Hurricane Melissa underscores the resilience of local communities in the face of government challenges in providing adequate disaster relief. The reports from OnCuba News paint a picture of a nation striving to recover from natural disaster while confronting broader systemic issues.