Hurricane Melissa Slams Eastern Cuba, Prompting Large Evacuations

Fri Dec 05 2025 04:19:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As Hurricane Melissa approaches Cuba as a Category 4 storm, authorities have evacuated over 700,000 residents from eastern regions due to the threat of catastrophic damage and severe flooding.

In preparation for Hurricane Melissa, which is expected to make landfall early Wednesday, Cuban authorities evacuated more than 700,000 people from eastern provinces. With sustained winds of 130 mph and forecasted surges of up to 12 feet and heavy rainfall, the country is bracing for severe impacts. Officials emphasized readiness despite the ongoing economic crisis, while Jamaica continues to assess extensive damage from the storm, already blamed for multiple fatalities across the Caribbean.

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba — Hurricane Melissa made its way toward eastern Cuba, anticipated to hit land as a significant storm early Wednesday. The Category 4 cyclone had previously unleashed its fury on Jamaica, becoming one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes recorded.

In preparation, the Cuban government evacuated over 700,000 residents from areas including Granma, Santiago de Cuba, and Guantanamo, warning of potential catastrophic damage.

A hurricane warning is active for several provinces across eastern Cuba and parts of the central Bahamas, with Bermuda currently under a hurricane watch.

Melissa, with winds reaching up to 130 mph, was situated approximately 110 miles southwest of Guantánamo. It is projected to traverse the island overnight, bringing a storm surge of up to 12 feet and delivering heavy rainfall of up to 20 inches in some regions.

Director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Michael Brennan, cautioned that landslides are highly probable in the affected regions. Additionally, the impending storm threatens to exacerbate Cuba’s ongoing economic challenges, marked by fuel and food shortages.

President Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged the expected damage in a televised address, assuring that all necessary resources would be deployed to ensure the safety of the populace: no one is left behind. This is the strongest hurricane ever recorded to hit our national territory.

In response to the threat, public schools were suspended from Guantánamo to Camagüey earlier this week, emphasizing the urgency of precautionary measures.

As Cuba fortified its defenses against the storm, Jamaica was swiftly pivoting to assess the damage incurred during Melissa's passage. Reports indicated extensive destruction in the southern Clarendon region and southwestern parish of St. Elizabeth, where flooding was widespread. Four hospitals were impacted, some losing power and necessitating the evacuation of numerous patients.

With reports indicating seven fatalities across the Caribbean — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic — the storm's harsh impact on the region was undeniable. Authorities anticipate reopening Jamaica's airports for urgent relief efforts as soon as conditions allow.