Recovery efforts are currently in progress across several cities and communities in eastern Cuba, which were severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, announced via social media that work is being conducted to restore access and services in the affected areas. He expressed determination, stating, “We will reach everyone. We will move forward and we will overcome!”
The recovery initiatives include restoring electrical services, clearing debris, distributing essential supplies, and providing support to displaced families in collaboration with local government and Civil Defense agencies. Reports indicate that brigades from various provinces are being deployed to assist in restoring electrical services, which were disrupted due to Melissa”s destructive winds and heavy rainfall.
Transportation Infrastructure Affected
Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the Minister of Transportation, reported significant damage to the railway system in Santiago de Cuba following the hurricane”s passage. In a Facebook post, he shared updates and images detailing the specific conditions of the railways. The Central Line has been particularly impacted, with sections of the track elevated and unusable between kilometers 833 and 834.5. Additionally, there are damages on the branch line leading to the refinery, as well as critical issues on the Bayamo line where embankments were lost at a bridge approach.
Rodríguez Dávila also noted the presence of dense vegetation obstructing the railway between Palma and San Luis, further complicating transportation efforts. Hurricane Melissa, which reached Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, made landfall at Playa El Francés in the municipality of Guamá, causing extensive flooding and damage to infrastructure.
Support for Evacuees in Las Tunas
Meanwhile, in Las Tunas, local authorities are actively providing shelter for hundreds of residents from the Río Cauto municipality, who are facing severe flooding. Osbel Lorenzo, President of the Provincial Defense Council, reported that evacuation centers have been established in Jobabo, Colombia, and the provincial capital to ensure the safety of residents. The local community has shown solidarity by donating food and hygiene supplies, complementing state resources allocated for relief efforts.
Lorenzo, who visited the evacuation centers, emphasized the commitment of the local government to support those affected, stating, “Count on Las Tunas; we may not have excess, but we share what we have.” Currently, shelters are operational at facilities such as EIDE Carlos Leyva, Simón Bolívar Mixed Center, and the University of Las Tunas, where necessary logistical and service conditions have been arranged to accommodate evacuees.
Production of Utility Poles in Pinar del Río
In Pinar del Río, two forestry companies are working tirelessly to cut and transport wood for the manufacturing of electric and telephone poles aimed at aiding recovery efforts in the hurricane-affected regions. A total of 4,500 poles, ranging from 7.5 to 12 meters in length, are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Francisco Díaz Roque, director of the impregnation plant in Guane, explained that their extraction brigade is currently engaged in harvesting the necessary trees for this purpose.
The Agroforestry Company Guanahacabibes is also contributing by supplying materials for telecommunications. Díaz Roque noted that they plan to produce 2,000 units for the Cuban Telecommunications Company (Etecsa) and 2,500 units for Unión Eléctrica. Although the plant has operated at reduced capacity in recent years due to energy resource constraints, Díaz Roque affirmed their ability to fulfill the current production requirements, citing past successes in meeting similar goals.
The Pinar del Río impregnation plant, modernized in 2009, has produced over 1.3 million quality poles with an estimated lifespan of 25 to 30 years. While the international market price for these poles can reach approximately $360 each, the cost to produce them locally is significantly lower, ranging between $130 and $150.
