In Cuba, the exact time frame for the complete restoration of the hotel infrastructure was announced. Hurricane Irma flooded Cuba: Havana is on the verge of destruction Cuba after the hurricane

The devastating Hurricane Irma, which has already devastated several Caribbean countries, hit Cuba on Saturday.

Television channels show how multi-meter waves flood Havana's legendary Malecon promenade, a favorite walking spot for residents of the capital and foreign tourists, eight kilometers long. In some areas of Havana, the supply of electricity and drinking water was cut off, and communications were disrupted. Until noon on Sunday local time (17:00 Moscow time), the José Martí International Airport, through which most foreign tourists fly to Cuba, is closed.

However, experts note that Irma’s “eye” did not reach the capital itself, delivering the main blow 200 kilometers away. Wind gusts in the province of Camagüey reached 260 km/h.

As AFP notes, Irma is the first hurricane of such strength since 1932 that directly affected the territory of Cuba. Seven-meter waves were recorded on the northern coast of Cuba by the local weather service, and residents of Havana received a “warning” about the danger of flooding.

In total, about two million people in Cuba were forced to flee their homes. “Given the inevitability of Irma, every minute was precious,” Cuba’s main newspaper, Granma, wrote in its editorial. The hurricane caused the most severe damage in St. Lucia in the province of Camagüey. Waves several meters high caused significant damage to houses and tourist sites, notes cadenagramonte.cu.

No information about possible casualties or damage was received from Cuba.

Cuba, since the era of Fidel Castro, has one of the best disaster warning and evacuation systems in the world and is well prepared for natural disasters. At the same time, each new hurricane is a painful blow to the Cuban economy, which is living under an unprecedented blockade by the United States, which, by the way, was extended on Friday by President Trump for another year.

Meanwhile, the US Hurricane Center (NCC) said in an advisory issued Saturday evening that "Irma's eye is beginning to slowly move off the coast of Cuba, causing severe weather deterioration in South Florida." In the southeastern United States, "flooding along several hundred kilometers of coastline is expected due to the potentially deadly storm," the US National Weather Service (NWS) warned.

Residents of this “sunny” American state, home to about 20 million people, fled their homes in panic. As AFP notes, citing meteorologists, Irma will reach the southeastern coast of the United States on Sunday with wind gusts of 240 kilometers per hour and could cause massive flooding.

Local officials are warning there is "no longer a place where people can be safe" in the Florida Keys, a popular tourist destination in southern Florida. Here, according to official estimates, about a million people have already been evacuated from the coastal zone, but the number of people who hastily fled their homes may be much higher. In total, about 6.3 million people in the state were evacuated from their homes as of Saturday evening - that is, one in three Florida residents.

Observers estimate that in Miami, where a large community of Cuban emigrants lives - more than a million people who left Liberty Island - mostly people with low incomes remain. Those who have not yet been evacuated are either looking for places in shelters, or trying to somehow protect their miserable houses with boards. “The roofs of the houses will fly off in any case, these houses are rotten through and through,” admitted refugee from Cuba Pedro Marti. In an interview, he called the defense of his plywood house "ridiculous."

Meanwhile, the streets of Miami, that “lazy and idle” city, have become unusually deserted. Beaches without vacationers, deserted streets and empty skyscrapers - Miami Beach overnight became a “ghost town.” The famed resort town's mayor, Phil Levine, called Irma "a nuclear hurricane... it's so powerful and so widespread."

US authorities, who had previously declared a state of emergency in the states of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, decided to also introduce it in Virginia, believing that Irma could reach the northeastern coast of the country. "This is a storm of enormous destructive power, and I ask all those in the path of the storm to follow all directions from government officials," Donald Trump tweeted. He spent the weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David, where he monitored the effects of Hurricane Harvey two weeks ago.

Recall that in order to help local governments, the US Navy announced the departure from the port of Norfolk, Virginia, the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, two amphibious assault vehicles and another ship. The four vessels, carrying 300 people and 27 helicopters, are expected to provide emergency medical care, logistical assistance and safety to people affected by Hurricane Irma, the Navy said in a statement.

Let us remember that Irma has become one of the most destructive hurricanes in the world in at least the last decade. Its deadly effect has been going on for almost five days. At the same time, the hurricane hit residents of poor Caribbean countries, who already live in extremely difficult conditions.

In total, according to official estimates, Hurricane Irma killed 25 people (10 in the French part and two in the Dutch part of St. Maarten, four in the US Virgin Islands, six in the British part of the Virgin Islands and the Anguilla archipelago, two in Puerto Rico). Rico, one in Barbuda). The number of victims could increase significantly as the rubble is cleared. It is known that, for example, on the island of Barbuda, at least 80 percent of buildings were destroyed.

Confusion, confusion and tension reign among residents of the island of St. Maarten, according to observers, five days after the passage of Irma. In the city of Mary, the capital of the French part of Saint-Martin, fragments of torn off roofs, numerous garbage, and various household waste litter the streets. Many surviving houses, including cottage buildings where tourists live, were flooded. Looters are taking advantage of the chaos as they rush into stores to steal refrigerators and televisions.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that in place of the destructive Irma, Hurricane Jose is moving into this part of the Caribbean, which has intensified to the fourth category, with wind gusts of up to 240 kilometers per hour. And its main blow will fall on the islands of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy, whose residents have not yet had time to recover from the shock.

There was severe flooding in the Cuban capital. Havana's famous Malecon promenade and many streets along the coastline are flooded. Meteorologists said waves up to 11 meters high hit the city on Saturday, with water penetrating more than half a kilometer into Havana.

In some areas, such as central Vedado, people walk waist-deep or even chest-deep in water. Cars, furniture, and fragments of roofing are floating along the streets. Some Havanese navigate the city in homemade boats.

“I’ve lived in Havana all my life, but this is the first time I’ve seen this. After heavy rains, we often experience flooding, but this kind of flooding has never happened. In some areas, the first floors of houses are completely flooded,” said a resident of Vedado.

Most of the city has been without power for more than a day. The Chairman of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Raul Castro, ordered that every effort be made to restore the downed power lines. The epicenter of the hurricane did not come closer than 200 km to the Cuban capital, but in the city of two million, located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, strong winds blew all Saturday and it rained heavily.

Many buildings along the embankment were damaged, including hotels and the US Embassy. In many places where the water has already receded, it is impossible to drive a car due to broken trees blocking the road.

Irma, which raged in Cuba for two days, caused serious damage to the tourist infrastructure on the famous resort islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria, located off the northern coast of the country. Apparently, some hotels there will have to be rebuilt practically from scratch. The airport serving these islands is almost completely destroyed.

All tourists, including Russian ones, were evacuated from the resorts in advance. According to the Russian Embassy in Cuba, the Russians were not injured during the passage of Irma.

The popular resort of Varadero, located 140 km east of Havana, was also flooded. However, there is much less destruction there and many vacationers have already returned to the beaches.

The disaster caused very serious damage to the island state, the amount of which has yet to be calculated. But thanks to the measures that were taken in the country before the hurricane arrived, casualties, according to preliminary data, were avoided.
More than a million people in Cuba were evacuated as Irma approached. Civil defense forces have equipped special shelters in many settlements with supplies of water, food and medicine for several days.

Irma caused severe damage to crops in the central part of the country, including sugar cane, bananas and tobacco, authorities said.

HAVANA – THE CITY OF LOVE BY CHE GUIVARA AND HEMINGWAY

How I wanted to dive into the Atlantic straight from the plane! From the windows of the Airbus A330-200 there was such an extremely alluring view of the sapphire depth with azure veins that the world left at home without the sea seemed sadly deprived. However, the cold and the beloved concrete jungle of my native Moscow were left far behind, and romantic Havana awaited ahead, and my whole soul was eager to go to Cuba, which had barely survived the terrible hurricane Irma. Tellingly, from the heavenly heights, the ocean coast seemed an untouchable paradise, except that light white lambs reminded of the possible restlessness of the sea elements.

Text: Elena SHPIZ

About forty minutes before the start of the descent, the flight attendant offered a cup of strong natural coffee, from the mere smell of which the entire Aeroflot flight cabin was enveloped in the spirit of Liberty Island, and life finally got better. Moreover, the sun was shining blissfully outside, the clouds did not interfere with it at all, the captain of the ship periodically cheerfully informed about something, both in Russian and in confident English. The feeling of summer was returning.

Many Cubans are still in shock from the destruction of Irma. Despite the fact that they have long been accustomed to hurricanes and know perfectly well how to escape from them and how to revive the world after unpredictable natural disasters.

“Irma” turned the streets of Cuban cities into raging rivers, flooded homes with downpours and ocean waves, toppled five-story buildings like cardboard boxes, and destroyed evergreen tropical beauty by the roots. And many foreigners were afraid to fly to Freedom Island, as I was convinced - in vain! Cuba is still beautiful. It’s not for nothing that the general director of Havanatur in Moscow, Sorelis Casas Figueredo, reassured us before leaving: “Oh, listen, get all this nonsense out of your head! Fly and don't worry about anything!

General Director of Havanatur in Moscow Sorelis Casas Figueredo. Photo: Elena Shpiz.

And so I flew to the country that Hemingway fell in love with. I couldn't wait to follow his example.

It is symbolic that I was met by the namesake of the great Ham and Che Guivara - the impressive Havanatur guide named Ernesto, and in his personal white modern car with air conditioning - a rarity on the Island of Freedom. He spoke Russian easily, and somehow I immediately felt right at home and comfortable.

Not even a week had passed since the hurricane, however, at first glance, everything looked quite safe. Perhaps the slightly bald crowns indicated a recent attack by the elements. However, after the hurricanes in Moscow, although they were considerably inferior to Irma in terms of wind strength, personally in our area - in the northeast - dozens of thick 30-meter trees were torn up by the roots! And the Cubans, although they were bald in places, for the most part survived!

In Havana itself, the consequences of the disaster were not so much evident as visible in the views of people, in some general mood. The streets managed to acquire visible prosperity, but it was felt that the city’s residents would not soon forget how they turned into three-meter rivers that flooded their homes. Havanese will now return their own apartments only in a few years, when the state has at least partially restored the damaged houses and built new ones. At the moment, people have been moved to dormitories.

What is typical is that Cubans are accustomed to hurricanes; they know what to do during them, how to escape from them, and how to quickly restore infrastructure. But this time people experienced such a shock that only the renewed interest of tourists will help them cheer up and forget the violence of the elements.

Fortunately, residents of areas further inland were not affected.

Ernesto took me to the Florida Hotel (Florida Calle Obispo) - a very pleasant Spanish-style building near Old Havana - with columns, a spacious balustrade, an inspiring glass vault. The cool room with high ceilings exuded local flavor. By the evening, salsa lovers were traditionally supposed to gather in the hall, so it was worth resting before plunging into the Cuban fun.

Frankly speaking, I was very hungry, and Ernesto showed one very well-known positive establishment in the city on the roof of the Ambos Mundus hotel, which translates as “Both Worlds” - namely “both”, and not “two”, as another guide later explained - by named after Rufino. We are, of course, talking about Cuba and America, which in reality cannot achieve ideological unity. As it turned out, this hotel is also famous for the fact that Hemingway stayed there in the 30s of the last century, and for 2 cookies (about 140 rubles) you can see the room in which he lived and wrote the novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls?” published 1940

I must admit, from the restaurant on the roof there was a lovely view of the bay and the picturesque roofs of colonial buildings. Even the locals really like to take a sip or two of something refreshing here, despite the fact that the place is frankly touristy and expensive.

Of course, I ordered lobster, because what would Cuba be without lobster for breakfast, lunch and dinner?! By the way, only state-licensed fishermen can catch them; ordinary people are prohibited from doing so. In general, the entire tourism infrastructure of the country, that is, hotels, resorts and most restaurants, is under the auspices of the state. However, for tourists this is not of fundamental importance. The main thing is that the service is quite decent, the food is excellent, and the buffet is always replete with guava and priceless papaya, which experienced travelers call the healthiest fruit in the world. As it turns out, in Cuba papaya is perfect - tender, juicy, sweet - just a dream!



In a word, I’m sitting enjoying life under the wonderful Cuban sky, tasting seafood delicacies with a fruit garnish, when suddenly the “tropical classic” hits. I had to, protecting the lobster, hastily move under the canopy with the help of experienced waiters, but after about fifteen minutes the sobbing black cloud retreated, allowing me to return to the open part of the terrace. Later, I generally fell in love with the Cuban rains - mostly short and at night.

Meanwhile, the strength that seemed to have fallen after the 12-hour flight was magically restored, and we set off to wander around coastal Havana. It was nice to take a short walk along the nearby streets and go out onto the wide embankment. True, after the hurricane most of it was blocked, but you could walk along the bay without any problems. The local people peacefully enjoyed the view of the ocean, fished, reclined on the parapet...

Meanwhile, the police were vigilant to ensure that no one went into the blocked off area, but who could stop travelers inspired by curiosity, especially from Russia?! To tell the truth, if it weren’t for the restrictive signs, one would think that the coastal park was in perfect order. Even the torn out parts of the parapet and the crumpled benches were not at all noticeable at first. Except that upon closer inspection they were reminiscent of the giant waves that rolled in during Irma.

Just think: the hurricane tore out pieces of the stone parapet all around, but this thing was not damaged at all!

It was gratifying to see that life in the city was going on as usual. Red, purple, green and white retro cars interspersed with horses and carts roll peacefully and soulfully along the wide avenues. Moreover, there are almost more horses than cars, because in Cuba this is the most common form of transport, just like 100 years ago.

How pleasant the climate is in this country. Not hot, not cold, a light breeze... You sit in your carriage and slowly rush to the hotel along the skinny cobbled streets, masterfully avoiding puddles and characteristic potholes...

And the next morning we went to the old town with our guide Marta. Past the port where a giant cruise ship stood proudly, clearly moored for a few happy days, because the Old Town is truly beautiful. A sort of UNESCO-groomed “Caribbean Europe” in the middle of much less well-groomed modern areas. Before the hurricane had time to demolish the small sculpture crowning the ancient building, it was perfectly restored within just a few days!

It was as if the hurricane had never visited here at all, so the unusual small number of tourists could be attributed to rare luck, since the wandering crowds of foreigners did not interfere with enjoying the cozy beauty of the local architecture. And on the ancient square, the pioneers were engaged in physical education: at the command of the teacher, they ran from one curb to another. Needless to say, it looked quite strange, on the other hand, the place is pleasant, why not run around...

It turned out that there is only ONE private apartment in the old city! On the second floor of a small house, nestled between historical buildings. They say the apartment is expensive, but no one is going to sell it...

The old town is actually very nice. Even local citizens meditate everywhere, not paying attention to passers-by. Or maybe just the opposite - turning...

By the way, in this part of Havana there are banks where you can change money very comfortably, that is, in absolute safety, and at a very decent rate.

Police Academy

Frankly, you shouldn’t chase cheap prices in Havana. Prices are not too different from Moscow, which is not surprising considering that one cookie and one euro in Cuba cost, in fact, the same. There is no point in being upset about this, you just need to be mentally prepared for it. By the way, if you need amenities, most people ask for a cookie to use the bathroom. I generally get the impression that “toilet guardians” are a highly respected social position among Cuban citizens. And it doesn’t matter where - in the city centers or somewhere in corners forgotten by civilization, cook a cook - and you can free up “creative space” as much as your heart desires...

The main thing in Cuba is to simply abstract yourself and be inspired by the local color and kindness of people who, by their nature, are sincere, kind and smile openly, without a second thought, even if their lives are very difficult. If they help, then, more often than not, it is from the heart, although they are extremely desperate for money and almost never refuse an extra penny in the cuco-euro equivalent.

Cubans have no cult of personality. They love Fidel and Che Guivara, but somehow very calmly, at home, without any pretentious praise. Like, thank you guys for being with us, but even without you we, in general, continue to live as we lived. It seems that they are even making fun of tourists who adore Che Guivara, but, knowing their weakness, they can, out of personal affection, give a coin with Che, touched by the emotions of foreigners, but they themselves do not share any special admiration. They are grateful to Fidel for free medicine and education.

“You know, in every district we have a first-aid post where a doctor is available 24 hours a day,” said Marta. – This is all the merit of Fidel. In general, our medicine and education are excellent and absolutely free for Cubans. And those who study well have every chance of making a good career. Plastic surgery is very strong in Cuba, it’s true - our doctors work miracles, patients come to them from all over the world, and therefore medical tourism is very developed. You know, even Maradona was treated for drugs by Fidel in Cuba. Maradona underwent rehabilitation in a Cuban clinic for a very long time, and they really helped him. Maradona considered Fidel Castro a second father, and although he was born in Argentina, for us he is a hero beloved by all Cubans.

Word by word we arrived at a nice cafe on the square in a distinct colonial style. We ordered a cup of strong Cuban coffee, and I shared with Marta the idea that the name “colonial” would be fair to associate not only with the colonies from which it was borrowed by the Europeans, but also directly with the columns - one of its indispensable and most expressive details .

“I think I agree with you,” Martha smiled. – After all, in fact, since ancient times, vaults with columns have saved people from heat and rain, allowing them to be outside even in unbearable sunshine or downpour...

For lunch we went to the La Bodeguita bar on the street. Empedrado, 207. near the Cathedral, no less popular and beloved by Hemingway than the famous El Floridita on the corner of Obispo and Montserrat, where the great Ham drank his famous daiquiris on a dare.

La Bodeguita is undoubtedly a colorful establishment. All the walls are covered with tens of thousands of autographs from visitors who have ever been here. Meanwhile, the food is tasty, but extremely simple - a kind of Havanese set lunch: rice, sweet potatoes, fish and pork. The signature cocktail here is the mojito; Cubans and tourists drink it in such quantities that it’s simply amazing.

The restaurant is really nice, cozy, two-story. On the first floor everything is open for riots and endless consumption of cocktails, on the second you can calmly sit and eat, looking out the window with a romantic view. Marta said that this place in Havana is in some sense iconic. It’s no wonder that everyone who enters there strives to immortalize their name on the wall, which, by the way, is not so easy to write on. It is better to take a juicy marker with a thin “nib”, because a ballpoint pen has difficulty leaving ink on the bumps of textured stonework.

For some reason, the aftertaste from my short stay in Havana came only a few days later, when my journey through Cuba was already in full swing along the red mountain roads of Holguin - on the opposite side of the island. At some point, the image of the capital, abandoned literally the next day, was suddenly filled with such powerful magnetism that I madly wanted to return there and wander for at least two more days along the streets and the main embankment, still closed after the hurricane, hiding from the good-natured local police, without any special purpose...

HOLIDAY FOR ALL FIVE: ULTRA ALL INCLUSIVE. How Türkiye has changed after a year and a half separation from Russian tourists.

Hurricane Irma raged through Cuba over the weekend. There are now 1,200-1,500 Russians at popular Cuban resorts, according to the representative of Cuban tourism in Moscow, Edilberto Lyon, reports the Bulletin of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia. Organized tourists from Russia are concentrated in the resorts of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria. Independent tourists usually stay in Havana.

The Federal Tourism Agency reported that nothing threatens Russians: “According to the Russian Embassy in Cuba, all tourists who were at the country’s resorts in the zone of Hurricane Irma activity have been moved to safe areas. The number of Russians among the evacuees is being clarified. According to preliminary data, it is about 200 people. If the hurricane does not change direction and weather conditions do not worsen, tourists will return to their hotels in vacation spots within 24 hours,” the website says.

“Tourists are now in Cuba, Varadero, the situation is catastrophic... the roof of the hotel was blown off and is drowning, yesterday they took everyone away, but they and someone else were left behind. Today there is no food, water or communication, neither is there any staff. The Federal Tourism Agency doesn’t answer the phone… tour operator Natalie Tours doesn’t either. There is no contact with tourists today. Does anyone have any emergency contacts in Cuba? Hotel inerostar Bella vista. I will be very grateful,” writes Profi in the group for travel agents. Travel "VKontakte" travel agent Anzhelika Tolochek.

Some tourists who were caught in a hurricane in Cuba today are already posting photos of clear oceans and blue skies. Others are photographs of destruction at hotels, mostly showing fallen trees and branches. But there are also those who are unlucky. Thus, user “elena_1612” on Instagram said that their tour operator Anex Tour took them out of the hotel almost at the height of the hurricane and put them on a flight.

“While Canada, in connection with the approaching hurricane Irma, was urgently taking its tourists out of Varadero on evacuation flights, and the Germans were rescheduling upcoming flights to later dates, our tour operator #AnexTour only left a note at the reception in the style of “Well, hang in there.” The note said that the peak of the hurricane would be on September 9, exactly the day of our departure to Moscow. (...) CNN has been saying for several hours that the wind is getting stronger and the blow will hit Varadero at 8 am, that is, right at the time of our departure. We still hoped that the flight would be rescheduled, and what a surprise it was that the Azur Air charter from #AnexTour still took off from Moscow with 300 tourists. The plane planned to land in Varadero just in time for the hurricane. This despite the fact that flights from other countries were cancelled. (…) At 3 am the #AnexTour bus was supposed to pick us up to take us to the airport. The wind was getting stronger, there was heavy rain, the electricity was going out every 5 minutes. Meanwhile, the airport in Varadero was closed, and our flight was moved to Havana. ...Of course, all flights from Havana airport were canceled, and only our plane was still going to fly to Moscow. (...) It was also very, very scary during takeoff, the plane was shaking incredibly and throwing in different directions. After our flight the airport was closed. These are the adventures,” said “elena_1612”.

In comments to the TourDom portal, representatives of Azur Air airline Anastasia Matyushina said that there were no complaints from tourists.

“Despite the natural disaster, Saturday flights from Moscow to Cuba and back took place as scheduled and there was no information from tourists about any problems in connection with the hurricane. Our next flight is only on Thursday, I think by then everything will calm down,” the portal quotes an airline representative.

Let us add that since September 10, Cuba’s airports have been closed. Flights were canceled until the evening of September 11.

As for tourists who are about to fly to the Hurricane Irma zone, they may refuse tours. But since Russian authorities have not issued emergency warnings, tour operators will charge fines for canceling tours. Tourists have the right to request a postponement of travel dates or changes in direction. But the final decision will remain with the tour operator, reports the ATOR legal service.

HAVANA, September 11. /Corr. TASS Andrey Bekrenev/. The devastating Hurricane Irma is already raging over Florida, but the severe flooding it caused continues in the Cuban capital.

Havana's famous Malecon promenade and many streets along the coastline are flooded. Meteorologists said waves up to 11 meters high hit the city on Saturday, with water penetrating more than half a kilometer into Havana.

"TASS/Ruptly/Reuters/CCTV"

In some areas, such as central Vedado, people walk waist-deep or even chest-deep in water. Cars, furniture, and fragments of roofing are floating along the streets. Some Havanese navigate the city in homemade boats.

“I’ve lived in Havana all my life, but this is the first time I’ve seen this. After heavy rains, we often experience flooding, but such flooding has never happened. In some areas, the first floors of houses are completely flooded,” a resident of Vedado told a TASS correspondent.

The city is without power

Most of the city has been without power for more than a day. The Chairman of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Raul Castro, ordered that every effort be made to restore the downed power lines.

The epicenter of the hurricane did not come closer than 200 km to the Cuban capital, but in the city of two million, located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, strong winds blew all Saturday and it rained heavily.

Many buildings along the embankment were damaged, including hotels and the US Embassy. In many places where the water has already receded, it is impossible to drive a car due to broken trees blocking the road.

Due to weather conditions, Havana José Martí International Airport will be closed until 12 noon (19:00 Moscow time) on September 11. Aeroflot's Sunday flight from Moscow to Havana and back was cancelled.

Large-scale evacuation

Residents and authorities of the Cuban capital began to take serious precautions a few days before Irma approached. Utility workers cleared storm drains, trimmed tree branches, covered the windows of buildings on the Malecon with sheets of plywood and reinforced structures with sandbags.

About 10 thousand people were evacuated from coastal areas to safe places. Currently, reinforced police squads are on duty on the city streets to prevent looting. Not all evacuees have been able to return to their homes yet.

Destruction at resorts

Irma, which raged in Cuba for two days, caused serious damage to the tourist infrastructure on the famous resort islands of Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria, located off the northern coast of the country. Apparently, some hotels there will have to be rebuilt practically from scratch. The airport serving these islands is almost completely destroyed.

All tourists, including Russian ones, were evacuated from the resorts in advance. According to the Russian Embassy in Cuba, the Russians were not injured during the passage of Irma.

The popular resort of Varadero, located 140 km east of Havana, was also flooded. However, there is much less destruction there and many vacationers have already returned to the beaches.

No casualties, damage is being calculated

The disaster caused very serious damage to the island state, the amount of which has yet to be calculated. But thanks to the measures that were taken in the country before the hurricane arrived, casualties, according to preliminary data, were avoided.

More than a million people in Cuba were evacuated as Irma approached. Civil defense forces have equipped special shelters in many settlements with supplies of water, food and medicine for several days.

Irma caused severe damage to crops in the central part of the country, including sugar cane, bananas and tobacco, authorities said.

Before arriving in Cuba, Irma raged for several days in the Caribbean region, causing extensive damage to Puerto Rico, as well as islands owned by Great Britain, the Netherlands and France. According to the latest data, at least 24 people died in the Caribbean as a result of the hurricane.