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Cuba Hurricane Irma

Advisory No. 6 from the National Civil Defense General Staff regarding Hurricane Irma

Advisory No. 6 from the National Civil Defense General Staff regarding Hurricane Irma
The population is advised to stay informed of the evolution of Hurricane Irma, and comply with safety measures; above all to stay indoors while storm winds continue, avoid flooded areas, do not fish, bathe or collect objects in such zones, or touch downed wires, and move away from areas with buildings at risk of collapsing or unstable ground

Author: National Civil Defense General Staff | informacion@granma.cu
september 10, 2017 13:09:19
According to information from the Meteorological Institute’s Forecast Station, at 08:40am on September 10, the Casablanca station’s radar placed the eye of the hurricane 124 kilometers north of Punta Hicacos, Matanzas, and 165 kilometers northeast of Havana.
Although Irma is gradually moving away from the island, it continues to represent a threat to Cuba. Its outer bands continue to affect the country’s central and western regions, with heavy and locally intense rainfall. Tropical storm strength winds continue to be felt from Sancti Spíritus to Artemisa, as well as storm surges along the northwest coast from Matanzas to Artemisa, the northern coast of the provinces of Sancti Spíritus and Villa Clara, and the southern shoreline from Camagüey to Matanzas.
Given this situation the population is advised to keep informed of the evolution of Hurricane Irma, and comply with safety measures; above all to stay indoors while storm winds continue, avoid flooded areas, do not fish, bathe or collect objects in such zones, or touch downed wires, and move away from areas with buildings at risk of collapsing or unstable ground. Meanwhile, people who are currently being sheltered in evacuation centers are advised not to return to their homes until their safety has been determined.
We reiterate to the Cuban people the need to be prepared to participate in recovery and reconstruction actions to repair the damage, consistent with the solidarity which characterizes us; and to rigorously comply with instructions by relevant authorities.
NATIONAL CIVIL DEFENSE GENERAL STAFF
10:30 am, September 10, 2017

Cuba Hurricane Irma

Irma: Cuba sends hundreds of doctors to Caribbean islands devastated by hurricane

U.S.
Irma: Cuba sends hundreds of doctors to Caribbean islands devastated by hurricane
The Independent Shehab Khan,The Independent 10 hours ago

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Cuban doctors on a trip to Dominica to help after Tropical Storm Erika: Granma
Cuba has sent doctors to several Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma.

More than 750 health workers have arrived in Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Saint Lucia, the Bahamas, Dominica and Haiti.

They have been told to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) and to contribute to aiding the recovery of regions that have been hit by the hurricane.

“The collaboration of the Central Medical Cooperation Unit, together with the Minsap Management Center, and our embassies, have maintained the communication to assess the damages and assess what help our own collaborators could provide,” Regla Angulo Pardo, the director of the Central Unit of Medial Cooperation in Cuba, told Granma.

The nation of 11 million people has a history of sending medical staff when other nations are in need, having done so during west Africa’s Ebola crisis in 2014 and 2015.

A brigade of more than 600 Cuban health workers went to Sierra Leone in 2014 to help tackle the crisis.

They also sent 1,200 health workers to Haiti after the nation was hit with an earthquake in 2010.

Cuba’s international medical mission has won the socialist state many friends.

This tradition can be traced back to 1960, when Cuba sent a group of doctors to Chile, who had been hit by a powerful earthquake, followed by a team of 50 to Algeria in 1963.

Cuba Hurricane

Make up for the sparsely of coverage in the US media on the effects of Hurricane Irma in Cuba, Cuban Links

Last night at around 10:00pm, Irma made landfall on Cuban territory at the eastern end of El Romano, just off the northern coastline of Camagüey and Ciego de Ávila provinces.
As meteorologist Dr. José Rubiera reported during the dawn hours today, September 9, hurricane force winds of over 120 km/h, with stronger gusts are being felt along the northern coast of these provinces, as well as Sancti Spíritus, and beginning in Villa Clara.
Heavy rain and a storm surge with waves over seven high, from Camagüey to Villa Clara have been reported, with coastal flooding expected.

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http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2017-09-08/-by-minute-hurricane-irma-in-cuba

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2017-09-08/cubas-hurricane-hunters

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2017-09-08/first-reports-of-damage-by-irma-in-gibara

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-irma-pummels-cuba-before-expected-turn-to-florida/

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/09/americas/cuba-caribbean-hurricane-irma/index.html (nice coverage of Cuban preparation for storm – for the US media)

 

Cuba Hurricane

The capital intensifies preparation for Irma

The capital intensifies preparation for Irma
Steps being taken in Havana include clearing storm sewers, pruning trees, monitoring rivers and streams, increasing public information, and assuring food supplies

Author: Lissy Rodríguez | lissy@granma.cu
september 9, 2017 14:09:00

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Photo: Ismael Batista
With no time to lose, the Havana Provincial Defense Council , met yesterday, September 8, to review the implementation of plans to confront the effects of Hurricane Irma in this part of the country, as coastal flooding is imminent and strong winds and rain are forecast.

After hearing the latest meteorological report, measures emphasized included

clearing storm sewers, pruning trees, monitoring rivers and streams, increasing public information, and assuring food supplies.

In terms of this last item, Party Political Bureau member and president of the Havana Provincial Defense Council, Mercedes López Acea, noted that although supplies are not meeting demand, some 15 to 18 products are available in produce markets and work is underway to secure 550 tons of food in warehouses, to assure stocks during the recovery period.

During the meeting – also attended by Political Bureau member, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, Army Corps General Leopoldo Cintra Frías – other actions reported were the acceleration of harvests and the protection of urban farms.

Luis Carlos Góngora, vice president of the Provincial Administrative Council in charge of distribution, reported that extra eggs and pork are being made available and stores will remain open until 11:00pm.

Additionally, 85 trucks and 44 tractors are working on the sanitization of the city, with an emphasis on the municipalities of Playa, La Habana del Este, Arroyo Naranjo, Diez de Octubre, Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja, the closest to the coastline.

Resources in healthcare centers are being safeguarded in areas prone to flooding and services are ensured for the population, reported Raidol García, provincial head of Public Health.

Likewise steps have been taken to ensure that all visitors lodged in hotels and private B&Bs are safe; while the city’s network of hotels is ready to receive tourists evacuated from other provinces.

Plans are in place to receive residents who may need to be evacuated from their homes, with food, healthcare, and transportation to shelters ready.

López Acea called on all residents of the capital to maintain discipline, act prudently, and cooperate with authorities, in addition to complying with Civil Defense instructions in a responsible fashion, as quickly as possible.

Head of the National Civil Defense General Staff, Division General (R) Ramón Pardo Guerra, emphasized the importance of evaluating losses to determine the areas most affected, to begin work as soon as possible, once the recovery phase begins.