Volunteers and renewable energy power Cuban Red Cross response to Hurricane Melissa six months on
By the IFRC
(This is a version of a multimedia feature the IFRC posted on Monday; it has been edited slightly for length.)
Two active operations, a reinforced strategy, and nearly 40,000 active volunteers across the island. This is how the Cuban Red Cross and the IFRC are tackling recovery following Hurricane Melissa, with fuel and energy shortages impacting every aspect of daily life in the country.
On 15 April, Cuban Red Cross volunteers distributed mosquito nets, cleaning supplies and other essential items to help prevent chikungunya and dengue in the La Antena community in Matanzas province.
This was the first distribution there of the humanitarian operation funded by the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF), which aims to assist 650 families affected by the arbovirus epidemic in western Cuba.
As of 5 January, 55 deaths associated with arboviral diseases (mosquito- or tick-borne) were reported: 37 due to chikungunya and 18 due to dengue. The majority of those who died were under 18 years of age.
“The hurricane has left behind many epidemics and insects, mainly mosquitoes and sand flies, which don’t let you rest day or night. You can barely sleep,” said Berta González, a local fisherwoman whose home was reduced to rubble.
“Many people are sick. I know people whose legs have been badly affected. They can’t move their hands or walk, and they lose their sense of taste and smell.”
A week later, on 21 April, local Red Cross teams launched a new humanitarian aid distribution in Cauto Cristo, Granma province – one of the areas worst affected by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, and a priority zone in the emergency appeal launched by the International Federation.
These deliveries are taking place in challenging circumstances: energy restrictions on the island are threatening essential services, worsening sanitation, and hindering humanitarian operations.
‘Few operations have been as logistically complex as this’
The Cuban Red Cross and the IFRC have managed to maintain their services by ensuring regular access to fuel as well as by shipping electric vehicles and photovoltaic systems to Havana, strengthening the logistical and operational capacity of the national headquarters and branches across the country.
The challenge now is to sustain operations, prevent setbacks in communities that are already making progress in their recovery, and prepare for a new hurricane season amid adversity.
Hurricane Melissa left more than 2 million people displaced as it swept through Cuba, particularly affecting the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Granma and Holguin.
The storm destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, damaged over 700 healthcare facilities and severely disrupted water systems, halting operations at around 100 pumping stations. Entire communities were left without reliable access to electricity, drinking water or basic services.
Forty-eight hours after Melissa passed, the IFRC launched an emergency appeal for 18 million Swiss francs (US$ 23 million) to strengthen the Cuban Red Cross’s initial response and support the recovery of 100,000 people over 24 months.
Since then, more than 5,000 people have received humanitarian assistance in the form of mosquito nets, blankets, hygiene supplies, cooking and cleaning supplies, solar lamps, tarpaulins, and tools to rebuild their homes; another 2,600 have received psychosocial support.
Today, the water systems installed by Cuban Red Cross volunteers in the wake of Hurricane Melissa continue to produce millions of litres of drinking water, meeting the daily needs of up to 30,000 people per week.
However, limited access to fuel, prolonged power outages and instability in the electrical grid continue to affect transportation, customs, health services, waste management and water pumping.
“The IFRC and the Cuban Red Cross have decades of experience responding to hurricanes in the country, including Ian, Sandy, Matthew and Irma, but few operations have been as logistically complex as this one,” says Cristian Torres, IFRC Deputy Director for the Americas.
“The need to address energy, health and transport challenges is clear, as is the dedication of Red Cross volunteers and technical teams. In coordination with public institutions and key humanitarian actors, they are active in the eastern part of the country and across the island, distributing assistance as it becomes available.”
Photovoltaic systems, electric transportation, battery charging
To ensure that aid reaches the island and public services are maintained, the IFRC and the Cuban Red Cross have launched a reinforced strategy under the emergency appeal.
This has four pillars: installing decentralized photovoltaic (solar-powered) systems to ensure a reliable power supply at humanitarian locations; implementing electric transportation; deploying special Red Cross brigades to assist with solid waste; and ensuring that Cuban Red Cross has access to fuel.
The Cuban Red Cross is already installing 14 battery charging systems provided by the IFRC, to ensure a reliable electricity supply and prevent communications and logistics from coming to a halt during blackouts. To support mobility and field operations, the IFRC has shipped an electric vehicle and eight motorcycles.
In addition, the Cuban Red Cross and the IFRC have secured fuel through agreements with local suppliers to keep the vehicle fleet operational.
To continue supporting the population, 500 roof repair kits are being produced to help repair homes damaged by Melissa.
“For three months, we faced operational difficulties because fuel wasn’t entering the country,” explained Dr Carlos Pérez Díaz, Secretary General of the Cuban Red Cross, following the distributions in Matanzas.
“But we’ve now regained that resource and are resuming the delivery of donations and humanitarian aid directly in the communities.”
Continuing recovery efforts and preparing for new emergencies requires strengthening local action and securing sustained international support. Of the 18 million Swiss francs requested, only 28 per cent has been raised. A new influx of resources is urgently needed, particularly to implement solutions such as electric garbage trucks for waste management.
With the hurricane season approaching, international support would also help to strengthen institutional and community resilience. The IFRC is calling for a united effort to ensure that essential services remain accessible and that recovery can proceed with dignity and certainty.
The Cuban Red Cross distributes clean water at a solar-powered station in Granma province. (Photo: CRC via IFRC)