Hurricane Matthew Destroyed Parts of Baracoa, Cuba, Last Night

Hurricane Matthew's eyewall bulldozed right across Baracoa, Cuba, last night, one of the island nation's oldest and most historic towns. Baracoa was the first city the Spanish settled after landing on the island — some of the town's buildings have stood since the 1500s.

But many were no match for the power of the Category 4 storm, which ripped parts of the town apart as if it were made of wet tissue paper.

Though NBC News reports that most of Cuba emerged relatively unscathed after Matthew's eye passed over the country, National Geographic reporter and photographer Mike Theiss was on hand in Baracoa to document the initial damage. His photos and video are chilling:

Complete destruction in Baracoa, Cuba from a combination of extreme wind and storm surge. Sad situation here. #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/JgUtW0vGjf

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) October 5, 2016

Extreme damage from storm surge and category 4 force winds in Baracoa, Cuba. #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/E4BnfJQDL3

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) October 5, 2016

Locals telling me of how the storm surge gutted their homes close to the coast in Baracoa, Cuba. #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/cUDW6FCwFL

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) October 5, 2016

I just toured the city of #Baracoa, Cuba. Compete destruction ! These people are going to need help ! #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/6aC1mMe9lS

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) October 5, 2016

Situation is bad in Baracoa, Cuba. Help is needed #HurricaneMatthew pic.twitter.com/LWRQA1PVAI

— Mike Theiss (@MikeTheiss) October 5, 2016

Videos from local residents were all the more frightening. In one clip, a group of frightened men and women barricade themselves inside a hotel lobby:

VIDEO guests and hotel staff inside a barricaded hotel lobby in #Baracoa,#Cuba as #HurricaneMatthew passes over pic.twitter.com/B7xSyiDYQl

— raging.me (@raging545) October 5, 2016

One brave soul whipped out his camera as Matthew's eyewall tore through town, ripping roofs right from their foundations:

Roof collapse in Baracoa, Cuba, in the middle of #Matthew's eye right now. Source: https://t.co/bQPVGTArNa pic.twitter.com/O7eLqH1Hny

— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) October 5, 2016

At the moment, it's unclear how much of the city was damaged or if any locals lost their lives. More than 35,000 residents were reportedly evacuated before the storm hit.

After weakening a bit, Matthew is slated to strengthen back to a Category 4 storm later today, and before it makes landfall in Florida sometime tomorrow, the storm will likely leave a wake of destruction in the Bahamas. Tens of thousands of Haitians are also reportedly without power after Matthew barreled over western Hispaniola two nights ago.

If you haven't bought supplies yet or developed an evacuation plan, now is the time. Though Miami-Dade County is under only a tropical storm warning right now, Broward County and areas north are under a hurricane warning. Everyone in South Florida should be taking every precaution possible to stay safe.