Cuba recovering as Hurricane Maria approaches

Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, was directly hit by Hurricane Irma last weekend.

The destruction is widespread and severe.

“It would be quite a blow should Maria hit Cuba”

Richard Paterson, Country Director for CARE International, based in Havana, said “the force with which it hit Havana took us a little bit by surprise.”

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Last weekend, after what he described as a “long night” and a harrowing experience that kept him housebound for over 18 hours, he was amazed by what he saw when he emerged,

“I was quite shocked at the scene of trees down, across the road, power lines down… and the debris in the streets made them impassable; it was quite a sight, I’d not seen something like that before.” Paterson said.

“They focus on protecting human lives, and in the case of Irma, over two million people were evacuated”

Cuba, touted as the best hurricane-prepared country, with delegations from elsewhere around the world coming to study their methods, was still so badly damaged.

Paterson agrees with the reputation, they are well-prepared.

“They focus their attention, prior to the arrival of a storm… and you can monitor it on the maps and what-not… they focus on protecting human lives, and in the case of Irma, over two million people were evacuated, two million people who were in, either particularly vulnerable areas or in less than solid housing structures.” Paterson said.

And he says they have evacuation plans in each municipality that “kick into gear” in a hurricane event.

In the aftermath, the death toll, following the largest hurricane in over one hundred years, with a population of over 11 million, stands at 10 people.

“It would be quite a blow should Maria hit Cuba” Patterson says.

Many of the people who had to leave their homes are still in the emergency shelters as their dwellings are not yet ready.

Richard Paterson says much depends upon Hurricane Maria’s course. If it tracks as far west as Irma it could be devastating.

And he emphasises that southeastern Cuba is still recovering from the damage inflicted last year during Hurricane Matthew, particularly in Guantanamo province.

Of the lucrative tourist industry, much of which is located on the north coast, Patterson says the Cuban government is prioritising repairs to the infrastructure, to be ready for the coming high season and the majority of Canadians who are booked for holidays.

“Mattresses, sheets, towels that kind of thing is something that is top on the priority list”

But he says, CARE International’s main concern now, is the people who will be working in these resorts. It’s their communities that have been so hard-hit.

CARE is directing its relief efforts in this region, distributing ‘safe water and hygiene kits’.

Next comes the basic household goods,

“It’s clear that people after a hurricane such as Irma, one of the things that they need most is mattresses, they’ve lost their roofs, they’ve lost the contents of their homes, and mattresses, sheets, towels that kind of thing is something that is top on the priority list.”  Paterson explains.

CARE is currently purchasing these items as well as roofing supplies, and arranging for them to be shipped to one of the two main ports.