A total of 538 homes, some completely and some partially destroyed, were affected after Hurricane Melissa passed through the province, reported Héctor Rodríguez Espinosa, provincial director of Housing in Las Tunas. The situation has exposed the vulnerability of roofs in the region, with a provincial demand for 19,985 square meters of roofing.

Las Tunas, Cuba.– Of the damaged homes, 17 suffered a total collapse. However, most of the damage is concentrated in the roofs, located mainly in the northern municipalities of “Jesús Menéndez” and Puerto Padre, as well as in the provincial capital, Majibacoa, and Jobabo.

The director explained that, immediately after the storm, the Housing Directorate mobilized its teams to assess the damage in each Popular Council.

“After the hurricane, we activated our review process within 72 hours, taking into account the lists provided by the presidents of the popular councils and the presidents of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR).

“A damage assessment was conducted, and the processing offices were activated —a multidisciplinary space designed to expedite aid, staffed by representatives from the Bank, the Directorate of Labor and Social Security, the Business Group of Commerce, and the Directorate of Housing.”

Rodríguez Espinosa clarified the procedure for those affected who cannot afford all the construction materials. “The Directorate of Labor has to assess whether those affected are vulnerable or not, and if they cannot pay, the bank grants them a subsidy, a loan, or a bonus.”

In this regard, he emphasized that the Ministry of Finance and Prices approved a bonus that can cover up to 50% of the cost of the resources needed for repairs.