Electricity returns to Cuba after the passage of Hurricane Rafael

(ANSA) – HAVANA, NOV 09 – While the electricity supply begins to be re-established in almost the entire island of Cuba, three days after the blackout caused by Hurricane Rafael, the international community announces the sending of aid. The UN and the European Union will send 94 tons of basic necessities worth 600 thousand dollars. The first shipments with medicines, personal hygiene kits, water tanks and other goods are expected at the port of Santiago between tomorrow and next Wednesday. The emergency plan proposed by the UN includes an allocation of 33 million dollars. Previously, Russia had announced the shipment of 80 thousand tons of diesel and humanitarian aid worth 62 million dollars. During Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Cherhyshenko’s visit to Havana, the government also announced the sending of material useful for repairing the power plants damaged by the hurricane. Meanwhile, the authorities guarantee that electricity has been restored in 13 of the 15 provinces of the country. The situation is more difficult in the capital Havana where only 17% of the capital’s inhabitants have electricity. As it passed over the city of over two billion inhabitants, the hurricane caused damage to all infrastructure. The intense rains and winds up to 185 kilometers knocked down 500 electricity poles and destroyed around a hundred transformers. Added to this is the damage to the pylons. Over 500 buildings were damaged, forcing 250,000 people to leave their homes. Hurricane Rafael – two weeks after the passage of Oscar which had caused the death of eight people, blackouts and enormous damage – has put a strain on the population already struggling with the effects of the worst economic crisis since the 90s between shortages of food, medicines and basic necessities. (HANDLE).