The United Nations (UN) has taken charge of distributing food and logistical equipment in Granma, a Cuban province severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa. This action highlights the Cuban government's clear inability to provide basic assistance to affected families.
On social media, the organization announced that Bayamo's warehouse 660 is now acting as the operational hub for the World Food Program (WFP). From this center, essential items such as rice, peas, and oil are delivered to shelters housing hundreds of people displaced by the floods.
"These dry goods are crucial in uncertain situations when families are vulnerable and at risk of losing everything," explained Meylin Pacheco, WFP Cuba's Policy and Program Officer.
Many families remain unable to return home due to the devastation caused by heavy rains, which resulted in the total loss of homes and livelihoods.
Thanks to these resources, those affected receive prepared meals at community protection centers to meet their basic nutritional needs.
The UN also highlighted that the support includes lighting towers, pallets, mobile warehouses, and logistical items that sustain operations under challenging conditions.
The UN report emphasizes that the work continues into the night, facilitated by lighting equipment provided by the WFP, in efforts coordinated directly by international agencies, notably excluding Cuban governmental structures.
The UN's involvement underscores the critical role of international humanitarian aid in addressing urgent needs, as the regime continues to rely on external organizations to compensate for basic deficiencies and prevent a total collapse of social assistance.
In another update, the UN reported that its team, alongside Civil Defense representatives and national authorities, conducted aerial assessments over Santiago de Cuba to evaluate hurricane damages.
"Broken bridges, destroyed roads, houses without roofs. One must stay strong not to cry," shared a resident from El Cobre, as quoted by the organization.
Additionally, the UN announced the setup of mobile warehouses in Santiago de Cuba in partnership with the Cuban Red Cross, aimed at bolstering response efforts to cyclone damage.
These structures will provide secure storage for food and supplies in areas where governmental capacities have been compromised.
Due to the ineffective governmental response following Hurricane Melissa's impact, international organizations have assumed direct assistance to the victims.
The UN Development Program (UNDP) has deployed generators and solar systems in rural Granma communities that remain disconnected from the national power grid, as part of efforts to restore basic services in critical areas.
Simultaneously, the UN has dispatched damage assessment missions across eastern Cuba, conducting aerial surveys with Civil Defense in devastated areas.
The organization has also launched the distribution of medicines, mosquito nets, and emergency supplies to support the most vulnerable populations, especially in isolated municipalities and community shelters.
These initiatives are supported by a $74 million fund allocated by the UN to rebuild homes, ensure access to clean water, and strengthen food security in the hardest-hit regions.
The humanitarian plan also encompasses the restoration of essential services and enhancement of local logistical capacities through the use of mobile warehouses and emergency resources.
UN's Humanitarian Efforts in Cuba
Why did the UN intervene in Granma, Cuba?
The UN intervened in Granma due to the Cuban government's failure to provide basic aid to families affected by Hurricane Melissa, necessitating international humanitarian assistance.
What kind of aid is the UN providing in Granma?
The UN is distributing food, logistical equipment, lighting towers, pallets, and mobile warehouses to support displaced persons and maintain operations in difficult conditions.
How is the UN supporting hurricane-affected areas in Cuba?
The UN is conducting damage assessments, providing emergency supplies, and deploying resources like generators and solar systems to restore basic services and aid the most vulnerable populations.