[Marxism] ACN: Cuba Releases Official Report on Damages

[Walter Lippmann]

Cuba Releases Official Report on Damages 
Caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

HAVANA, Cuba, Sept 16 (acn) Cuba released on Monday an official
report on the damages caused by hurricanes Gustav and Ike, which 
hit the country between August 30th and September 9th.

According to the report, the combined action of the winds, rains 
and flooding caused by these two hurricanes resulted in the most
devastating effects in the history of this kind of natural disasters
in Cuba.

After recalling that, due to the trajectory of both hurricanes, all
the provinces of the country were threatened and even suffered the
direct impact of Gustav and Ike, the report notes that, in all, 3 179
846 people were evacuated – 2 772 615 of them due to hurricane Ike.
For this purpose, more than 10,000 means of transportation were used
and hundreds of facilities were fitted up as shelters. In addition,
176,113 students in boarding schools were returned home while 2,818
tourists were relocated.

The note adds that although there were no human losses during
hurricane Gustav, seven people died in different provinces not only
due to the direct effects of hurricane Ike but also for not observing
the protection measures oriented by the National Civil Defense.


Material Losses

According to the report, preliminary figures indicate economic losses
to the tune of five billion dollars.

Undoubtedly, the report notes, some of the worst consequences left by
Gustav and Ike were in the housing sector with more than 444,000
houses ravaged, including partial and complete losses of roofs. In
all, 63,249 houses collapsed.

The most severe damages took place in the provinces of Pinar del Rio,
Holguin, Las Tunas and Camaguey as well as in the Isle of Youth
Special Municipality.


Main Damages Caused by Gustav in Other Sectors

Preliminary assessments show that the main damages caused by Gustav
took place in the Isle of Youth Special Municipality and in Pinar del
Rio province, particularly in the municipalities of San Cristobal,
Los Palacios, Consolacion del Sur, Viñales, La Palma, Minas de
Matahambre, Candelaria and Bahia Honda.

The situation is critical in 120,105 houses in Pinar del Rio, mainly
in Los Palacios and San Cristobal. Likewise, associated to the
damages caused to houses and buildings, more than 4,000 water tanks
were destroyed.

Meanwhile, the power supply infrastructure in the western region of
the country was also severely affected by Gustav. In all, 137
electricity pylons of the Mariel-Pinar del Rio 220 KV transmission
line were destroyed and also 13 of the 110 KV line. In addition,
4,500 posts fell, 530 electricity transformers and 5,000 public lamps
were damaged.

In the Isle of Youth, all the electricity lines were damaged.

Also in the western part of the country, more than 55,700 hectares of
different crops were completely lost and 80% of the poultry farming
sector was severely damaged in the Isle of Youth and completely
destroyed in the eight municipalities of Pinar del Rio directly hit
by Gustav. 	 In Pinar del Rio, 3,414 tobacco curing and storing
facilities were destroyed and 1,590 others were partially damaged.
More than 800 tons of tobacco were lost.

Meanwhile, 180,000 hectares of forests were affected.

As to the industrial production of food, 28 bakeries, eight candy
factories and a fruit and vegetable canning factory were damaged.

In all, 4,355 tons of foodstuffs in warehouses were affected.

As to the Radio Cuba system, two medium wave towers and the
television tower in the Isle of Youth were completely destroyed thus
damaging radio and television transmissions. The same happened to the
towers of San Cristobal, La Palma and Los Palacios and in the
municipalities of Artemisa and Bauta, in Habana province.

In the telecommunications sector, 9,316 services were affected,
mainly in the Isle of Youth (7,797) and Pinar del Rio (1,021).

The damages caused to TV sets, VCRs and computers continue to be
assessed. Thus far, 794 computers in the sectors of health and
education were affected.

As to the health sector in the western region, 314 facilities
suffered damages of significant magnitude including 26 hospitals, 18
policlinics, 191 family doctor’s offices, 14 old people’s homes and
42 drugstores.

Elsewhere, in the education sector, 1,160 centers were damaged,
including 599 in Pinar del Rio, 218 in Habana province, 225 in Havana
City, and 87 in the Isle of Youth Special Municipality.

Important facilities of the Nueva Gerona Port were destroyed and
there were damages in the airport of the special municipality of Isle
of Youth.


Main Damages Caused by Hurricane Ike

Without having concluded the assessments, the main damages caused by
Hurricane Ike took place in the following provinces and
municipalities:

• Guantanamo: municipalities of Baracoa and Maisi.

• Holguin: municipalities of Holguin, Banes, Antilla, Moa, Rafael
Freyre, Mayari and Gibara.

• Las Tunas: municipalities of Tunas, Puerto Padre, Manatí and Jesús
Menéndez.

• Camagüey: municipalities of Camagüey, Nuevitas, Guáimaro, Najasa,
Florida, Sibanicú, Minas and Santa Cruz del Sur.

• Ciego de Ávila: municipalities of Ciego de Avila, Venezuela,
Baraguá and Majagua.

• Sancti Spíritus: municipalities of Sancti Spiritus, Trinidad and La
Sierpe.

• Villa Clara: municipalities of Manicaragua, Encrucijada, Santo
Domingo and Sagua la Grande.

• Cienfuegos; municipalities of Cumanayagua and Aguada de Pasajeros.

• Matanzas: municipalities of Matanzas, Unión de Reyes, Calimete,
Perico and Jagüey Grande.

The power supply service was affected nationwide and the country
remained without electricity for several hours due to the direct
effect of the winds and heavy rains.


Mini and micro hydroelectric plants were severely damaged.

There are generalized interruptions of communications due to fallen
trees, telephone posts and transmission towers.

All the coffee areas in the eastern region of the country were
affected and the crop was lost in the municipalities of Mayari, Sagua
de Tanamo, Maisi and in the province of Granma.

More than 32,300 hectares of banana plantations and 10,000 hectares
of other products were lost in the eastern provinces.

More than 500,000 fowls were lost and 100,000 of them were sacrificed
and sold to the population. The damages to the poultry sector were
severe in Sancti Spiritus, Matanzas, Las Tunas and Camagüey.

In the sugar cane sector, 518,879 hectares were flooded and 3,895
hectares of newly planted cane were lost. In addition, 40,000 tons of
sugar have to be processed as they got wet. In addition, 10,000
hectares of bananas, rice, beans and other products were damaged.

Industrial facilities also suffered damages and their production
stopped.

The Ministry of Domestic Trade reports damages to 49,000 tons of
products, mainly in Holguin province.

A total of 2,642 facilities of the Ministry of Education were
partially or completely damaged as well as 186 children’s day-care
centers.

The Ministry of Higher Education also reports damages in the
universities of Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Matanzas, Villa Clara
and Holguin as well as in the municipal venue of Puerto Padre in Las
Tunas province and in the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in
Habana province.

Severe damages were also caused to 146 cultural institutions and 82
sports facilities including five provincial baseball stadiums, eight
multi-sports halls and two swimming pool complexes.

Land communication has also been affected due to fallen trees and
flooding and thousands of kilometers of roads and highways have been
damaged nationwide.

Seven ports remain closed and severe damages were caused to the roofs
of those of Vita, Carupano and Nuevitas.

Cuban News Agency
www.cubanews.ain.cu
ainnews at ain.cu



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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
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