Plan of Action United Nations System in Cuba: Hurricane Ian Response, September 2022

Introduction

Hurricane Ian hit western Cuba with sustained winds of more than 200 km/h, significant storm surge and coastal flooding. It left a trail of destruction as it crossed through the country, exiting as a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale (1-5).

Most affected areas

This Plan of Action prioritizes activities in two provinces: Pinar del Río, where 11 municipalities were severely affected, and Artemisa, where three municipalities were hit hard. The population of these worst-affected 14 municipalities is 713,732 people, of whom 352,542 are women, 144,444 are children and adolescents and 154,989 are over the age of 60. These municipalities are home to 3,467 pregnant women, 798 people with HIV and 30,508 people with disabilities.

Main damages and most urgent needs

Massive damages consist of multiple impacts in a major urban area that are combined with the loss of livelihoods in rural municipalities.

Preliminary assessments indicate severe damage to housing, health and educational infrastructure as well as access to drinking water and electricity. Additionally, critical damage has been reported to food storage and distribution facilities, thousands of hectares of crops, agriculture and livestock production as well as fishing, which are the main sources of livelihoods among the population in affected municipalities.

Furthermore, Hurricane Ian hit Cuba amid a complex post-COVID-19 global context as the country faces economic challenges.

National and local authorities are spearheading a robust response effort to the unfolding situation.
However, due to the scale of the disaster and the severity of damages, ongoing response efforts require additional support.

The United Nations System in Cuba is supporting national response efforts to address the most urgent needs through pre-positioned supplies in-country and mobilizing its own resources. This Plan of Action includes support for both immediate response efforts and medium-term recovery to respond to the severe damages left by Hurricane Ian and support the most affected population.