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Cuba

Response to Hurricane Irma: Cuba Situation Report No. 10 - Office of the Resident Coordinator (17/09/2017)

Attachments

Highlights

  • The amount of affected educational institutions has increased to 2.186, according to sector authorities. The school year was resumed in most affected territories, except where school damage was significant. At the Central University of Villa Clara, classes will not resume until September 25.

  • Shelter is among the most affected sectors. Central provinces of Villa Clara and Ciego de Ávila account for about 50,000 damaged houses.

  • In the central areas of the country, where basic services have not yet been restored, water provision with tank trucks has been increased and processed food supply has been set up.

  • In the central areas of the country, where basic services have not yet been restored, water provision with tank trucks has been increased and processed food supply has been set up.

  • In response to messages of solidarity and requests for humanitarian aid, the International Finance Bank authorized a bank account under the name HURRICANE-DONATIONS No. 0300000004978829, for deposits in freely convertible currencies.

Situation overview

The country continues the recovery efforts following Hurricane Irma, with an emphasis on affected people protection, restoration of water supply and electricity services, and sanitation actions for public places.

Joint work is being carried out in the recovery of damaged health facilities. Collapsed medical offices of affected communities are relocated. Health authorities maintain active epidemiological surveillance and outbreaks of transmissible diseases have not been registered.

This weekend, members of public institutions together with armed forces continue to collect solid waste and they work on other hygiene tasks in coastal municipalities of Havana. The objective is to clean obstructed streets, restore electricity services, and prevent the appearance of infectious diseases.

Multidisciplinary groups of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) started the assessment of the environmental impact of the hurricane and the strategic actions to face climate change (Tarea Vida).

National authorities follow up of Tropical Storm Maria, located in the central Atlantic. Maria is expected to become a hurricane before approaching Lesser Antilles. The Institute of Meteorology will issue its third Public Advisory on this storm this Sunday at 6 pm. Humanitarian Response National authorities

The Minister of Education, visited schools to assess damages and the recovery work, in the municipality of Yaguajay, most affected province in Sancti Spíritus. In this territory, classes should resume on September 18th, with the support of public institutions and private houses.

Local authorities in the municipality of Venezuela, in Ciego de Ávila, are considering to relocate families, previously living in very low coastal areas to other communities where infrastructure is available.

National telecommunication company announced a special tariff for national calls in the municipality of Yaguajay, until the recovery phase concludes. .

International Cooperation

Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) by the European Commission's has approved a contribution of 2 million euros for the Caribbean, which will include support for Cuba. The partners are preparing the proposals.

Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, China, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the Czech Republic, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam, have expressed their solidarity and willingness to provide aid to the island.