United Nations United Nations Emergency Technical Team Cuba
Situation Report No 8, “Sandy”
Dates covered : November 1 Time : 8:30 a.m. Date of next Situation Report : Time :
I. HIGHLIGHTS • Hurricane Sandy severely affected the city of Santiago de Cuba, the second largest in the country with a population of 500,000 and of key economic importance for the eastern region and the rest of the country. • Assessments are still ongoing in the most affected provinces (Santiago de Cuba, Holguín and Guantánamo). Santiago de Cuba and Holguin (the second and third most largely populated provinces respectively have been the hardest hit). Housing, infrastructure and agriculture are the most affected sectors. • Authorities declared that the provinces of Granma, Las Tunas, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara are no longer in emergency status. • Classes have resumed in many of the municipalities of the affected areas even if in preliminary establishments. • The United Nations Coordination System is activated. • Response items are arriving to aid authorities.
II. OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION
Hurricane Sandy is the most devastating hurricane to strike eastern provinces of Cuba in the past 50 years.
The second most important city in the country (Santiago de Cuba) in terms of economics and strategic position has been severely affected, with important short- term and mid-term implications for the whole of eastern Cuba and the country as a whole.
“Sandy” has important urban implications, leaving in Santiago de Cuba thousands of people without houses as well as without access to electricity and water. So far overall about 200,000 dwellings have been damaged (an increase of 12,000 since the last report), according to ongoing assessments, mostly in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Holguin. Numbers continue to change in Holguin due to the detailed assessments.
Note: All the information in this report has been taken from Cuban official media (TV, radio, and press) and statements from Cuban authorities. Sources: Newspapers Granma, Juventud Rebelde, Sierra Maestra, Ahora. Radio stations: Radio Rebelde, Radio Habana Cuba, Radio revolución, Radio Angulo; Press agencies: Prensa Latina (PL) y Agencia de Información Nacional (AIN); Web sites: Cubadebate
Calle 18 No. 110, Miramar, La Habana, Cuba, Apdo 4138, Tel: (537) 204 1513, Fax (537) 204 1516, [email protected], www.onu.org.cu
Although there has been improvement in electricity supply in the City of Santiago de Cuba, it remains low; at present authorities are working on 90% of electric circuits prioritizing main lines.
Authorities declared that the central provinces of Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila, which were indirectly affected by flooding from rains that followed Hurricane Sandy, have returned to “state of normality”. The recovery phase is ongoing for Santiago de Cuba, Holguín and Guantánamo.
III. DAMAGE ASSESMENT AND RESPONSE
Damage assessments are ongoing and official information has not yet been provided. The following information has been compiled from official media sources. Numbers are still preliminary.
SHELTER AND NON-FOOD ITEMS : Some 200,000 dwellings (an increase of 12,000 since the last report) have been damaged mostly in Santiago de Cuba and Holguín. Considering that in Cuba extended families often live in the same house (consisting of 3-4 generations), this could represent 1.2 million people. The Red Cross reports that some 700 families are staying in official relief centers in the province of Santiago de Cuba.
There is a significant need for shelter solutions and roofs as well as non-food items such as family kits, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, mattresses and bed sheets.
Response – In Holguín authorities are conducting a house by house assessment of damages and have reported that 1000 dwellings have been supported with some repair.
# of houses Santiago de Cuba Holguin Guantanamo Rest o f Provinces Affected, out 137,000 * 52,344 8,750 670 of which Total 15,300 1,800 111 No data collapse Lost roofs 43,426 3,000 840 No data *No new information regarding the number of dwellings affected in Santiago de Cuba has been found since previous situation reports.
EDUCATION: No new data has been found from previous situation reports.
Affectation - Approximately 2,106 schools have suffered structural damage, 54% of which belongs to primary schools. • 920 schools have been damaged in Santiago de Cuba Province (80% of the total); classes have resumed in 5 out of the 10 municipalities. Damages are concentrated mainly in primary and secondary schools • 613 educational institutions have been damaged in Holguin (an increase of 113 from last report), 73% of which are primary schools. • In Guantánamo, 177 affected schools.
Priority needs have been identified as construction materials to repair damages.
Response – In five municipalities of Santiago de Cuba (Segundo Frente, Tercer Frente, Contramaestre, Mella y Guamá) more than 300 schools have re-started classes. This is also the case for the remaining provinces.
2 HEALTH : 386 health centers were affected in the Eastern provinces, of these - 197 in Holguin (161 community health centers, 24 policlinics and 12 hospitals) - 116 in Santiago de Cuba (72 community health centers, 31 policlinics and 13 hospitals) - 50 in Guantánamo (36 community health centers, 11 policlinics, 3 hospitals)
Response - Vaccination campaigns are ongoing as is the hygiene and sanitation campaigns. Intensive fumigation against mosquito Aedes aegipty has also started.
WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE : Although repairs of water system are ongoing, and the water services are being reestablished there is the need for chlorine tablets and water tanks. In the City of Santiago de Cuba about 75% of the city is being provided water from reservoirs although it is turbid.
The Red Cross has also identified the need for latrines in some communities.
Response - the water services in the province of Guantanamo have been reestablished. Initial water distribution is being ensured in Santiago. Authorities are working on information campaigns for safe water consumption. Authorities continue to clear debris from the streets in Santiago de Cuba City.
AGRICULTURE : Damage assessment of sugar cane plantation is still ongoing and is thought to be extensive. The hurricane passed just weeks before the start of the harvest period.
Diverse crops have been affected, sugar cane remaining the most affected crop, followed by plantain and banana, staple crops and vegetables. Poultry farms have been quite affected as well as the production of eggs – about 87 farms have been reported affected in Guantánamo. In Santiago de Cuba, chicken farms are concerned about feed for the animals, which may run out soon. It would seem that much of the remaining sectors of livestock were not affected to the same extent due to the preventive measures undertaken by the country.
FOOD SECURITY: The impacts on the agricultural sector will have severe implications in food security throughout the country, given the importance of the affected areas in the production of staple crops for the entire island.
Response: Gov´t is distributing food to families and in centers in the affected areas.
LOGISTICS : The international airport and port in Santiago de Cuba city are open for relief services. Authorities have identified the need for 600 tons. of asphalt and pipes.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
In Santiago de Cuba 40,000 telephone services were damaged due to affectations to 2400 posts.
Response - In the province of Guantanamo, 65 damaged posts (out of 300) have been repaired and most of the mobile connections have been reestablished (of 5,300 affected telephone services, only 800 are left to reconnect)
EARLY RECOVERY AND TRANSITION TO DEVELOPMENT : While steps are being made to provide initial relief, the need for contemporary reactivation of the economic infrastructure in the whole region needs to be ensured, particularly in the sectors of agriculture, repairs to housing, health, education facilities, and recovery of livelihoods.
3 In each of the Eastern provinces there are reports of damaged stores. Warehouses, stores and food services are affected in the whole region.
The country will rapidly need to move from short-term shelter to rebuilding of permanent housing in the affected area, particularly in the city of Santiago, in order to recover livelihoods. This will be key to reactivating the economy of this area and avoid instability.
V. COORDINATION AND ACTIONS
The Cuban Civil Defense, in coordination with government officials, continues to assess damages and provide assistance to the territories.
Cluster leads are in contact with organizations interested in providing support in priority sectors – education in emergencies, food security, health, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
The United Nations continues to monitor the impacts of hurricane “Sandy” and liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX).
VI. RESPONSE FUNDING
The United Nations system is mobilizing emergency funds to support authorities in helping affected people in the area of food, non-food items, shelter and medicine:
The International Federation of the Red Cross has launched a preliminary emergency appeal to support the Cuban Red Cross to assist families in the area with non-food items.
The media informs of the following bilateral assistance: - Venezuela: 14 tons of food products arrived in Santiago de Cuba on Tuesday, October 30 th . More products are expected to arrive from this country - Russia – 3 planes with humanitarian aid - Bolivia - 120 tons. of food products and water
VII. CONTACT
Please contact:
Barbara Pesce -Monteiro Claudio Tomasi Resident Coordinator Alternate Coordinator UN Emergency Technical UN System in Cuba Team in Cuba Email: E mail: [email protected] [email protected] Phone: (537) 204-1492 Phone: (537) 204-1493
4 Liudmila Curbelo / Miguel Barreiro Coordination Officers UN System in Cuba Email: [email protected] [email protected] Phone: (537) 204-1513
For more information, please visit the UN Cuba website: www.onu.org.cu
For more national information, please visit: Cuba Meteorological Institute http://www.insmet.cu Infomed Red De Salud Cubana http://www.sld.cu/sitios/huracanes/ Granma Newspaper http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu Juventud Rebelde Newspaper http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/
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