Although the area remained practically cut-off and without power, through the night of October 4, correspondents in the zone were able to establish telephone communication with the national television station, confirming at that time that no lives had been lost.
Nonetheless, reports from the city, the first to be founded on the island, indicated that the onslaught of Matthew – category four on the Saffir-Simpson Scale at the time – had caused extensive damage to local dwellings and infrastructure.
Along with electricity pylons, the hurricane destroyed the roofs of several hotels, stores, and the Primada Visión broadcast center. Meanwhile, floods, and waves measuring over five meters caused severe damage to the city’s waterfront, according to journalists.
Reporters also noted that various areas in the zone were cut-off, without land access, while landslides, fallen branches, and trees obstructed roads across the region.
According to correspondents, almost 36,000 people were evacuated, 26,500 of whom stayed in the homes of relations.
Initial reports indicated that winds caused by the hurricane began to subside in the island’s eastern region on the afternoon of October 5. Rain, meanwhile, continued to fall in the area, with over 200 millimeters recorded in certain areas, in addition to strong storm surges along the northern coast.
