Stunning photographs of Playa Baracoa, located in Bauta, Artemisa, have been making rounds on social media, showcasing the destruction left by the flooding associated with the formidable Hurricane Milton in Cuba. Despite the hurricane not making direct landfall on the island, its immense power caused significant sea surges in this northern coastal region.
Residents from the area shared these images widely. "Playa Baracoa after Hurricane Milton's passage," posted Kerenia Martínez Martín on Facebook, accompanied by numerous photos depicting streets filled with debris and damaged power lines. These visuals vividly exhibit the intensity of the storm, underscoring that although it did not hit Cuban soil directly, Milton's gusty winds and high waves inflicted considerable harm on the coastal zone.
Another local, Delia González Jiménez, echoed this sentiment on social media, stating, "The neighborhood after the sea's incursion." This scenario highlights the vulnerability of certain Cuban areas to extreme weather events, which can leave entire communities facing severe flooding, structural damage, and electrical infrastructure hazards.
Notably, Milton caused significant flooding in El Vedado, Havana, on Wednesday night, as waves from the Malecón rose several meters high. Similarly, southern coastal towns in Mayabeque experienced the hurricane's "feeder bands," resulting in rainfall, wind gusts, and further sea incursions.