Melissa's death toll rises as Cuba begins cleanup efforts

After devastating Jamaica and claiming the lives of at least 20 people in Haiti, the hurricane slammed into Cuba, where residents are now facing severe flooding and massive damage.

In eastern Cuba, streets are covered in debris and submerged in water. Entire neighborhoods have been left without electricity after power lines and poles collapsed, and metal rooftops were torn off by the storm's violent winds.

Local reports describe houses partially destroyed, roads cut off, and even livestock drowned in the floodwaters.

In the city of Santiago de Cuba, residents spent Wednesday trying to salvage what little they could. Many, like Mariela Reyes, a 55-year-old homemaker, lost everything. Her home's roof was ripped off and thrown into the street.

«It's not easy to lose everything you own,» she said, exhausted and heartbroken, but grateful to be alive.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Melissa was located off Cuba's eastern coast early Wednesday, carrying winds of 155 km/h (96 mph) and dumping torrential rain over large portions of the island.

Although the hurricane has weakened, it remains extremely dangerous, continuing to trigger flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas.

Meteorologists say the storm is now moving northeast toward the Bahamas, where authorities are preparing for strong winds and heavy rainfall in the coming hours.

The NHC warned that conditions in the region could worsen quickly as Melissa passes nearby.

Across the Caribbean, the human toll is mounting. In Haiti and Jamaica, several communities remain cut off and without aid, while thousands have been left homeless.

The combined power of wind and water has turned once-bustling towns into disaster zones, with relief agencies struggling to reach the hardest-hit areas.

Melissa is already being called one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Caribbean, joining a tragic list of historic hurricanes that have reshaped the region.

Despite the devastation, the people of Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica are showing remarkable resilience and determination as they begin the long process of recovery.