Response to Hurricane Matthew: Cuba Situation Report No. 28 Office of the Resident Coordinator (March 27, 2017)

This report is produced by the Office of the Resident Coordinator, United Nations System in Cuba. It covers the period from March 3, 14:00 to 14:00 to March 16 (local time). The next report will be issued on or around March 30, 2017.

Highlights

• The hurricane destroyed 67% of the forest heritage in the province of Guantanamo and the cocoa, coconut, and coffee plantations – main sources of livelihood in the region – suffered severe damages.

• 11 educational centers in Maisí, Baracoa and Imías – out of a total of 280 that were affected by the hurricane – are yet to be recovered.

• Producers and specialists in agriculture in Guantánamo recovered over 10,500 hectares of soil – out of the 70,500 hectares damaged by the hurricane – with the sowing of a variety of shortcycle crops.

• The construction of the new bridge over the river Toa has started so as to replace the one destroyed by the hurricane. The works are expected to be completed within eight months.

• The completion of two concrete factories, one on Baracoa and one in Maisí, will complement the production of local construction materials.

Situation Overview

Five months after the passing of Hurricane Matthew in eastern Cuba, solving the serious housing problems as well as recovering the agriculture and the livelihoods of the affected people, remain the main priorities of the affected territories.

Besides the actions taken to increase the local production of construction materials to repair houses and roofs and the building of new houses, the efforts to build the new bridge over the river Toa is being intensified. Additionally, effort is being made to finish the works on a difficult part of the Yumurí-Jobo Claro road which would allow traffic to avoid the dangerous and limited road between Baracoa and Maisí through the Loma de La Boruga.

The recovery of cocoa, coffee, and coconut – main exporting products of the province of Guantánamo – is being intensified in addition to the sowing of short-cycle crops with more resistant and productive strains to feed the population.