标签： Cuba

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, Cuba has launched a comprehensive recovery initiative, spearheaded by the President of the National Defense Council, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. The recent high-level meeting, attended by key government figures including Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa and Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, focused on assessing and accelerating the restoration of essential services across the hardest-hit eastern regions. Significant progress has been reported in the restoration of electricity, with Las Tunas achieving 94.5% recovery, while efforts in Holguín, Granma, and Guantánamo are ongoing. Santiago de Cuba is poised for a substantial recovery once the Felton thermoelectric plant becomes operational. The meeting also highlighted the receipt of international and domestic donations, including vital supplies like food, medicine, and construction materials, which are being systematically distributed to affected areas. Additionally, the restoration of drinking water services has seen notable advancements, with Las Tunas fully restored and other regions making steady progress. The construction sector is actively addressing housing damages, with innovative solutions like container-based housing being explored. Educational facilities, many of which served as shelters, are also being repaired. The government’s coordinated response, supported by the Revolutionary Armed Forces and local authorities, underscores a unified effort to mitigate the hurricane’s impact and expedite recovery. Lessons from this crisis are being meticulously analyzed to enhance future disaster preparedness and response strategies.

Over the weekend, relentless efforts were made to address the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in eastern Cuba, focusing on rescue operations, sanitation, and recovery. President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, head of the National Defense Council, praised the combatants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) for their heroic and skillful rescue missions. He emphasized that erasing the extensive damage caused by Melissa would require a monumental effort and widespread cooperation. The hurricane’s torrential rains triggered unprecedented flooding, necessitating the evacuation of thousands of people via air, boat, and train. In the Granma municipality of Río Cauto, hundreds of residents were relocated to Las Tunas, where evacuation centers have been established to shelter approximately 2,400 people. Health responses have been intensified, with a focus on vulnerable communities. Measures include enhanced epidemiological surveillance, deployment of medical brigades, distribution of essential supplies, and activation of prevention protocols to mitigate potential disease outbreaks. Transportation Minister Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila reported severe damage to the railway line to Santiago de Cuba, particularly the Central Line between kilometers 833 and 834.5. Meanwhile, brigades from the electricity and telecommunications sectors are working tirelessly to restore services in affected areas.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez has initiated a comprehensive tour of Holguín, one of the regions most severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful hurricane in Cuba’s recorded meteorological history. Accompanied by key government officials, including Roberto Morales Ojeda, head of the Political-Ideological Work Body, and several deputy prime ministers, Díaz-Canel assessed the extensive damage and coordinated recovery efforts. The hurricane caused widespread destruction, including flooding, uprooted trees, and submerged villages, displacing thousands of residents. During his visit to the José Martí Pre-University Vocational Institute of Exact Sciences (IPVCE), which has sheltered 321 evacuees, the president emphasized the importance of prioritizing life and ensuring the safe return of displaced families to their homes. He also highlighted the resilience of the community and the effective response of local authorities. The president’s itinerary included visits to critical infrastructure, such as the Providencia photovoltaic solar park and the Vladimir Ilich Lenin General Hospital, both of which withstood the hurricane’s impact. Díaz-Canel underscored the need for organized and responsible recovery efforts, particularly in agriculture and housing, and commended the collaborative work of various government bodies. The provincial leadership, led by Joel Queipo Ruiz, reported significant challenges, including crop losses and damaged communications, but reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding lives and accelerating recovery.