Authorities hinder humanitarian aid organized by churches and independent organizations after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
LIMA, Peru – Authorities of the Cuban regime are preventing the entry of humanitarian aid organized by churches and independent organizations to the areas most damaged by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
So He reported it this Friday the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH), pointing out that these obstacles further exacerbate the crisis in the eastern region of the country, mainly affected by the cyclone.
Human rights and religious activists told the OCDH that the Cuban regime has established “control points” at the exit of the province of Las Tunas and at the entrance to Granma, to prevent the passage of people from the west and center of the Island with groceries and other aid, especially belonging to Christian churches.
The Observatory demanded that the Cuban government allow the flow of aid from civil society and refrain from trying to control social initiatives.
According to testimonies consulted by the organization in the affected areas, the authorities seek to maintain control of the distribution of aid, even that coming from non-governmental and religious organizations.
For its part, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) warned that around 700,000 people in Cuba, more than 7% of the population, require urgent humanitarian assistance after the devastating passing of Hurricane Melissa. The agency noted that the cyclone left serious damage to homes, crops and basic supply networks.
According to explained the WFP to the EFE agency, Half of those affected will need support for at least three months, while the rest may require support for six months or more. As part of the UN’s anticipatory action plan for emergencies in Cuba, the organization has already mobilized 617 tons of rice, grains and oil, destined mainly to the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo and Holguín, the hardest hit by the cyclone.
However, to sustain operations over the next six months, WFP estimates that an additional $30 million is required, of which $25 million would go toward the purchase of basic foodstuffs.
The impact of Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa—a system that entered eastern Cuba as a category three hurricane, after having reached category four as it passed through Jamaica—hit the eastern region from early morning until the morning of Wednesday, October 29.
Although the authorities have not yet published an exhaustive official report of the damage, multiple images and testimonies have been released showing destroyed homes, entire communities flooded, people who have lost everyone, and entire areas cut off.
The rainfall was extraordinary: accumulations of up to 500 mm were recorded in mountainous areas, storm surges that raised the sea level between 2.5 and 3.7 meters above normal on the southeastern coast, and wind gusts that exceeded 190 km/h at the time of impact.
The magnitude of the phenomenon and the lack of communication generate a scenario of high vulnerability, in which the most affected communities await urgent and transparent assistance.
