Hurricane Melissa caused widespread destruction in Cuba, notably damaging the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the country’s patroness.
The hurricane struck Cuba on October 29 at 3:05 a.m., hitting the Guamá area in Santiago de Cuba Province as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph, mainly affecting the eastern part of the nation.
One of the hardest-hit areas was the town of El Cobre, located at the foot of the Sierra del Cobre mountains.
The rector of the shrine, Fr. Rogelio Dean, shared on Facebook that during the hurricane there were extremely tense moments. Regarding the damage to the church, Fr. Dean reported that Hurricane Melissa tore up the shrine, and some stained-glass windows were damaged. Even with precautionary measures, such as mounting aluminum frames to protect the stained-glass windows, the hurricane tore masonry from the walls.
Additionally, Caritas Cuba reported that local rivers had overflowed following the hurricane, flooding a large number of homes and institutions in the eastern region.
In response to the crisis, Fr. Dean urged communities and institutions to “focus their attention on eastern Cuba at this time.”
The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba stated that Melissa’s impact was a catastrophe of enormous proportions and noted that this disaster adds to the existing difficulties of everyday life for the people. The Bishops appealed for solidarity from Cubans in other parts of the world and throughout the country, calling on all those of goodwill who wish to and can offer their support.