Cuba Faces Severe Housing Crisis After Hurricane Melissa

A recent report from OnCuba News indicates that Hurricane Melissa has caused extensive damage across Cuba, leaving 116,100 homes affected, primarily in Santiago de Cuba, with over 93,000 homes reported damaged.

The hurricane, which struck at the end of October with category 3 winds, also impacted critical infrastructure, including 600 medical facilities and over 2,000 educational centers. In total, approximately 100,000 hectares of crops were damaged, intensifying the existing housing crisis and economic challenges the country faces.

The Cuban government noted that essential services have been restored to over 95%, with water supply reaching 96%, though some regions continue to experience outages. Humanitarian aid has poured in from various countries and organizations, including 14.5 tons of supplies from Martinica and additional support from the United Nations, totaling a $74.2 million action plan to assist around one million people affected by the disaster.

Meanwhile, CubaNet reported ongoing flooding in Villa Clara, further complicating recovery efforts, with around 200 individuals evacuated and 100 homes affected by recent heavy rains, exacerbating the situation already strained by Hurricane Melissa's aftermath.