Gustav claims 90 000 houses in Cuba

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

HAVANA, Cuba – HURRICANE GUSTAV whipped the western provinces of Cuba with high seas and winds of speed up to 150 mph destroying a myriad of houses and public facilities in its path.

According to public statements reported by the state media, the category four hurricane, after knocking down almost 100 high-tension electricity towers, left more than 80 percent of the Pinar del Rio province without electricity and just shy of 750 000 residents disadvantaged. Power lines, tall trees and electricity towers were knocked down throughout the area, blocking major roads and highways.

State-run news agency AIN reported that more than 40 percent of housing was damaged and the main hospital was closed. Heavy damages to major hotels and thousands of buildings, which are internationally known as popular tourist attractions, were also reported. Major tobacco warehouses and fields in the province were destroyed with a loss that has been perceived to be a “very grave and urgent problem”.

Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage, in giving an overview of Gustav’s destruction to the island, said “53 perrcent of the homes in the hardest hit areas were affected, most of them suffering roof damage.

“It doesn’t have to do with repairing a few towers; it has to do with constructing a new electricity network, because much of the network is on the ground”.

However, he added, the response this time should be better than other years because special diesel generators had been installed throughout the country, and that electricity workers had already been brought together to speedily repair the damaged system.  ~~Adz:Right~~