Hurricane Ida Left Cuba, Sunday Landing in US Expected
HAVANA TIMES – Cuban authorities are still evaluating the damage caused by Hurricane Ida after passing over the Isle of Youth and Pinar del Rio on Friday afternoon and evening. The center of a much stronger Ida is now expected to hit the US Gulf Coast sometime Sunday evening.
The good news in Cuba is that no deaths have been reported thus far with the passing of the storm. Cuban Civil Defense is especially efficient at evacuating people potentially in danger.
Initial reports speak of crop losses, mainly to cassava, bananas and corn, damaged roofs of both homes and state properties, fallen trees and electric and telephone cables. The officials are currently evaluating and quantifying what they are saying was not highly serious damage. Likewise, crews are already repairing the electric and phone lines.
With 70-75 mph winds, Hurricane Ida first touched Cuban soil in the Isle of Youth at 2:30 PM on Friday and then after a brief return to the sea, crossed Pinar del Rio, leaving for good at 9:30 PM.
Pinar del Rio is currently one of the Cuban provinces most affected by the Covid-19 surge. While the province is used to confronting such storms, the combination with the virus danger and food and medicine shortages, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Covid figures are currently declining in Cuba, and numbers vaccinated are rising. But once Covid 19 is largely under control, what then? There is no improvement or cessation of repression, there is no change, just the same tedious incompetence.
Yes, Mother Nature or Acts of God as Insurance companies refer hurricanes as to continue to come about this year. Right now, IDA continues as a Tropical Storm bringing winds at 58 MPH and more rain with destructive damages along the way. And now, Laura is off the coast of Puerto Rico coming to the Gulf of Mexico causing CUBA to possibly be subject to another disaster event . Sorry there is little Government assistance to help with the disaster recovery there in CUBA.
Cuba, like Haiti, seems to not be able to catch a break this year. Given the international and positive energy directed towards Haiti, next year is likely to be a better year. Cuba on the other will likely continue to worsen.