Ike Strikes Cuba
Ambassador confident in prompt recovery

By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

HAVANNA, Cuba – One week following the blow of hurricane Gustav, Cuba was again disturbed by the rage of hurricane Ike which swept through the island with a trail of torrential rains and high winds.

After making its way over Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas, and killing hundreds while causing major floods in Haiti, the category-four hurricane struck Cuba, destroying many buildings on the eastern end of the country.
 
Many public institutions including schools and hospitals were closed and over one million residents were evacuated to more appropriate housing areas over the weekend. News coming out of that country states that Ike claimed four lives and left seven injured.

Cuban Ambassador Ana Maria Gonzales Suarez told SKNVibes that the country had just been devastated by Gustav (particularly the Isle of Youth and the province of Pinar del Rio) which knocked those provinces to their knees with the mass destruction of homes, businesses, tourist attractions, farm lands and public travel areas.

“We have done a lot of preparation to avoid loss of life and right now, this is our main priority. Of course, it is difficult for us because we are just a developing nation.  ~~Adz:Right~~

“But, our people are united and have a lot of solidarity. It will take some time but we will recover. We have still not totalled the damages, but in a few days we will make the assessments. But Cuba is going to recover; we have the will and determination,” Suarez said.

The Cuban Ambassador informed that the country has already been receiving aid from numerous organizations and countries including Caribbean countries, Russia, China, the United Nations and the Red Cross.

Although it has been toned down to a category-one hurricane, Ike is expected to hit the western part of the island with heavy rains and flash floods, before heading on to the Gulf of Mexico later today.