Rains Associated with Melissa Affect Eastern Cuban Province

Heavy precipitation linked to Tropical Storm Melissa has caused damage to road infrastructure in mountainous areas of this eastern Cuban province, local authorities reported today. According to press reports, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Guantánamo, Yoel Pérez, stated that the rainfall recorded in the last 24 hours was particularly intense in the municipalities of Baracoa and Maisí. In both territories, the soil is saturated, which increases the risk of new landslides.

One of the most serious incidents was the collapse of the Boca de Jauco bridge, which occurred the previous day, partially cutting off the surrounding area and limiting land access to the municipality of Maisí. Likewise, in the Quiviján district, part of Baracoa, the rainfall caused damage to mountain roads, the sewer system, and critically, to the area's main bridge, Radio Baracoa reported.

Continuous rains have generated significant landslides in mountainous areas, blocking several sections of the central highway in Baracoa and hindering access to various communities, as specified by local authorities.

This Friday, Pérez met with the Temporary Group of the Provincial Defense Council in charge of handling the emergency. During the meeting, he assured—as quoted by the television channel Solvisión—that "there is sufficient time to adopt all preventive measures and avoid the loss of human lives."

The Guantánamo authorities also evaluated the conditions of the evacuation centers intended to house people residing in areas vulnerable to flooding, sea encroachment, landslides, or areas downstream from reservoirs. The leader emphasized the need for preventive fumigation in these centers to prevent the proliferation of diseases transmitted by arboviruses. He also urged the reinforcement of cleaning drains and sewers, as well as tree pruning and other actions outlined in the provincial disaster response plan.

Tropical Storm Melissa is moving over the central Caribbean Sea, near Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour. According to Tropical Cyclone Warning No. 9 issued by the Forecast Center of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology, it is expected to reach hurricane category this Saturday, and there is a high probability it will impact Cuban territory.