CUBA: Salesians work to support 2,000 people impacted by Hurricane Melissa
Areas remain completely isolated
(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries are working to provide support to nearly 2,000 people in Cuba* who have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa, the third-most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. Nearly 3 million people were left without access to basic services after the hurricane devastated areas. At least 750,000 people had to be evacuated after the destruction and rising waters, according to official figures from the country.
“There were still communities left without electricity and drinking water two weeks after the hurricane. People are still trying to recover all that was lost,” explained a Salesian missionary working in Cuba.
He added, “There are still areas of Santiago de Cuba, Guamá I and Guamá II that are completely isolated because the sea destroyed the road. The material damage left by Melissa is serious, with bridges destroyed, roads blocked, and a good number of houses partially or totally collapsed.”
The Salesian Mission Office in Madrid, Spain is working to reach the 2,000 particularly vulnerable people with the “Basic basket” program run by the San Juan Bosco Center in Santiago de Cuba.
Father Luis Manuel Moral, director of Salesian Missions in Madrid, said, “The situation continues to be very complicated, given the country had already been marked by an economic crisis and a great shortage of supplies. The hurricane has made the precariousness of many people even more acute, especially the most vulnerable, such as minors, families at risk, single mothers or elderly people who are alone.”
He added, “There are many areas where aid has not yet arrived and there is a great need for medicines, drinking water, mattresses and other essential supplies. Many of these things cannot be found in the city. Moreover, the chikungunya virus is spreading rapidly, and the lack of medicines and drinking water is aggravating the situation for many people.”
The Salesian community in Santiago de Cuba serves 14 communities. In addition to education and social support, the Salesians have a small dispensary and a youth center where children and older youth engage in social activities and receive school support.
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Sources:
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ANS – Cuba – ‘The situation remains very complex with areas still isolated’
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
