Hurricane Irma: summary by the CID delegation in Ciego de Ávila

Ciego de Ávila, September 25, 2017.  Many are the damages left by the hurricane as it went through this central zone in Cuba, leaving as a consequence an alarming increase in the province’s economic crisis. The population is terrified, dozens of families are homeless, lodged at shelters with no hygiene conditions, where the state has not guaranteed either drinking water or food.

Official media have not revealed that losses in the farming sector are around 95%. The Empresa de Cultivos Varios La Cuba (Various Crop Enterprise La Cuba), one of the country’s top producer, located in the Pesquería  zone, Baraguá municipality, suffered the total loss of its plantain fields and severe damage to its facilities.

Light industries have been seriously affected by partial or total loss of roofs and stored products due to dampness.

In the housing sector, figures released by the regime are below reality in all municipalities, with houses having suffered total or partial collapse.  Most of the destruction occurred in the north, including Bolivia, Chambas, Morón, Punta Alegre and Turiguanó Island.

Although the road was repaired, in the Jardines del Rey tourist area, in the northern keys, three hotels suffered total collapse, as well as the loss of several species, including the death of thousands of pink flamingo that were in unprotected areas, according to workers’ reports.

Lessons have not been resumed in many municipalities. The education sector was already facing a shortage of books and deteriorated learning material. Now, after this hurricane went through, most of the teachers are not handing out books, because they got wet and could not be saved.

Several municipalities and their communities have no electricity and are isolated because electric and telephone posts fell.

Products that were freely sold before are now rationed through the ration book, and do not cover the people’s needs. The population is upset and quite conscious of the state apparatus’ inability to respond to the ongoing emergency.

CID delegations, through the Defensoría del Pueblo (People’s Defense) in this province will back each victim’s complaint at different institutions, demanding a reply.

By Yanelis Jiménez Téllez, CID Provincial Delegate in Ciego de Ávila, and Yasmani Díaz Romay, Defensoría del Pueblo (People’s Defense) in this province.