Attachments
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Hurricane Melissa developed from a tropical wave on 25 October 2025 and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm by 28 October, with sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h) and a central pressure of 892 millibars – making it one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Caribbean basin. After striking Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane, Melissa made landfall in Santiago de Cuba on 29 October as a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 125 mph (195 km/h). The storm produced extreme rainfall of up to 25 inches, resulting in catastrophic flooding, landslides, and significant storm-surge impacts. Close to 2.2 million people have been affected, and no fatalities have been reported.
Cuban authorities, supported by the Cuban Red Cross (CRC), undertook extensive preparedness measures, including mass evacuations, with approximately with 735,000 evacuated prior to the storm, the activation of shelters, and the safeguarding of critical assets to reduce the storm’s devastating effects. The provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, Las Tunas, and Camagüey were placed under the highest alert level before landfall, with Santiago de Cuba suffering the most severe damage. Heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding in areas such as Charco Redondo and Las Villas Reservoir, while landslides and storm surge compounded destruction across affected communities.
Over six weeks after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, the humanitarian situation in eastern Cuba remains severe. Recovery conditions across the region vary, with Santiago de Cuba still engaged in structured recovery efforts, while other provinces have become more stable. As of mid-December, approximately 2,669 people remain displaced.2 Housing impacts are extensive, with an estimated 215,000 homes affected, with this number potentially rising to 300,000. These damages have impacted an estimated 645,000 people, half of whom are considered vulnerable.3 Of the 642 health facilities that sustained damage, 235 have already been rehabilitated,4 helping allow essential healthcare services to resume. Additionally, 2,117 educational centres have sustained damage,5 affecting healthcare delivery and schooling for over 670,000 students.6 Around 450,000 people lack access to safe water, and critical services such as electricity, transport, and communications remain disrupted.