The passage of Hurricane Melissa through the Caribbean has left behind a trail of destruction and death. In Cuba, especially in Santiago de Cuba, brick and zinc houses have been reduced to rubble after intense winds and flooding battered the region when the storm made landfall.
Meanwhile, in Haiti, multiple deaths have been reported due to overflowing rivers and severe storms, bringing the death toll in the region to dozens.
Infrastructure and essential services such as electricity, drinking water, and telecommunications have been severely affected. In Cuba, the crisis is also evolving into a humanitarian emergency: a nation already struggling with economic hardship and a lack of resources now faces collapsed homes, displaced families, and compromised basic services.
Can the region recover quickly from this devastating phenomenon?
Not immediately, it will be difficult. The magnitude of the damage, the logistical challenges of delivering aid to isolated areas, and existing vulnerabilities mean that recovery will be prolonged. Rebuilding homes, restoring services, and assisting displaced people could take months, or even years.