Source::AP news
Authorities were working to restore service to the country’s 11 million people. Ian hit Cuba that has been struggling with an economic crisis and power outages in recent months. It made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island’s western end, devastating Pinar del Rio province, where tobacco used for Cuba’s iconic cigars is grown.
Tens of thousands of people were shifted and others fled the area ahead of the arrival of Ian, which caused flooding, damaged houses and toppled trees.Videos on social media showed downed power lines and cut off roads in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa and Mayabeque. A hospital in Pinar del Río was damaged.
Robaina, also the owner of the Finca Robaina cigar producer, posted photos on social media of wood-and-thatch roofs smashed to the ground, greenhouse in rubble and wagons overturned. Officials had set up 55 shelters and took steps to protect crops, especially tobacco.
Ian was expected to get even stronger over the warm Gulf of Mexico, reaching top winds of 130 mph (209 kph) approaching the southwestern coast of Florida, where 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate.As the storm’s centre moved into the Gulf, scenes of destruction emerged in Cuba. Authorities were still assessing the damage in its world-famous tobacco belt.
“Being in the hurricane was terrible for me, but we are here alive,” said Pinar del Rio resident Yusimí Palacios.
“Cuba suffered “significant wind and storm surge impacts” when the hurricane struck with top sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph).” Said the U.S. National Hurricane Centre
“I spent the hurricane at home with my husband and the dog. The masonry and zinc roof of the house had just been installed. But the storm tore it down, we couldn’t rescue our things ... we just ran out.” said Mercedes Valdés, who lives along the highway connecting Pinar del Río to San Juan y Martínez._Rss
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