Attachments
Glide №:
TC-2022-00320-CUB
As of 30 June 2023, this Emergency Appeal seeks CHF 9,000,000 and is 42 per cent funded, including bilateral contributions. Further contributions are needed to enable the Cuban Red Cross, with the support of the IFRC, to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the families affected by Hurricane Ian
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the crisis
Hurricane Ian made landfall on 26 September lashing the western region of the country, with sustained winds of more than 200 km/h and even stronger gusts, significant storm surge and coastal flooding. The impact of the hurricane left a trail of destruction as it crossed the country. Upon making landfall, Ian was classified as a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with a diameter spanning 600 km. In the National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report, NOAA indicates the Cuban Institute of Meteorology surface stations in western Cuba reported rainfall totals ranging from 151.7 to 338 mm (6 to 13+ inches). Severe flooding was also reported with this excessive rainfall.
The numbers that were gathered indicate that 3.2 million people were directly affected in the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa and La Habana, as well as the Special Municipality of Isla de la Juventud. Hurricane Ian affected the Cuban territory for six hours, wreaking havoc across several municipalities, including the capital of Pinar del Río province, where the eye of the hurricane lingered for an hour and a half. Sea waters reached two kilometres inland in several coastal areas, with the height of floodwaters reaching 1.5 meters.
Reported damage was significant and it combined the complexity of the impacts in a major urban area with the loss of livelihoods in rural municipalities. 76,221 people were evacuated to centres set up by local government authorities while others relocated to the homes of friends and family, in compliance with the guidelines of the National Civil Defense General Staff. Despite the prevention efforts of authorities and the warnings issued to the population, this powerful hurricane left three people dead following its passage through Pinar del Río.
The assessments conducted indicate critical damage to housing, access to drinking water and electricity, health and educational institutions, facilities that store or distribute food, thousands of hectares of crops, agricultural and livestock production and fisheries, i.e., the fundamental means of livelihood of the population of the affected municipalities. Major challenges persist for reestablishing electricity, which impacts several basic services, including running water, in addition to the damage caused to water reservoirs and distribution systems.
The complex situation created the conditions for an increased risk of dengue and gastrointestinal diseases in a context where serious damages to health facilities have been reported. Immediate national efforts have been important to restore living conditions and the minimum operation of services, including a recovery strategy that looks to reduce pre-existing vulnerabilities. However, the damage has been devastating.
Hurricane Ian hit Cuba amid a complex post-COVID-19 global context as the country faces economic challenges. Cuba is excluded from major international financial institutions and faces extremely limited access to international capital markets, making it very difficult to finance disaster response efforts and the country’s development. In the aftermath of Ian’s destruction, it is critical to support Cuba in its ongoing response and recovery efforts.
There has been substantial progress in terms of restoring the electricity and cleaning up the debris and fallen trees. However, there is a long way ahead for the affected families to fully recover from the humanitarian impact caused by Hurricane Ian. Gradually the humanitarian aid has been delivered by the humanitarian actors with operational capacity in the ground. Many families have rebuilt their roofs through recycling materials that were spread around. There is a need to provide sustainable shelter solutions so these families can reduce their vulnerability in terms of facing future tropical storms or hurricanes that may hit the affected geographical area.