Irma, a Category 5 hurricane, struck Cuba on Saturday night, washing away coastal towns and causing flooding in low-lying areas of the capital Havana. Hurricane winds of more than 200 km/h tore off the roofs of houses and tore trees out of the ground. A forced evacuation along the coast was required.
Irma is now making its way toward the continental United States, and hurricane warnings in Cuba's Matanzas and Havana provinces were lifted Monday night.
But the rainfall is expected to continue into Wednesday. Authorities are warning of flash floods and landslides amid efforts to rebuild and clean up areas. At this time, Hurricane Jose continues in the Atlantic and does not yet threaten Cuba.
Even this huge tree couldn't withstand Hurricane Irma.
Most people in the coastal area live in single-story houses, risking floodwater rising to roof level in some places. Residents were shocked by the extensive damage and say recovery will take a long time. Many left the city before the storm, and all foreigners were forced to evacuate. Those who remained were prepared, although they knew that this would be the storm that anyone had ever experienced.
Meanwhile, at dusk on Saturday, flooding began in Havana around a popular promenade. Flooding continues on Sunday. At the US Embassy in Havana, part of the fence that surrounds the complex was broken. US Marines and Cuban police surrounded the square.
So far there have been no reports of deaths in Cuba. Elsewhere, a few days earlier in the Caribbean, 26 deaths were attributed to Irma. Nine were in various French territories, Barbuda, Anguilla, four in Saint Martin, four in the British Virgin Islands, four in the US Virgin Islands, and three in Puerto Rico.
The Cuban government prepared with provisions and construction equipment ahead of Irma's arrival. Authorities cut power to parts of the city and evacuated about 10,000 people from central Havana amid fears of storms and flooding, Reuters reported.
What happened to the Cayo Coco resort after the hurricane
Irma first struck the archipelago north of Cuba. In the provinces of Camagüey and Ciego de Avila, wind gusts were so strong in some places that they destroyed an instrument used to measure the wind, Cuba's meteorological agency said.
This is where another famous resort, Cayo Coco, is located, where the damage is very significant. The eye of the hurricane passed along the coast.
Several hotels in the Atlantic Ocean, popular with our tourists, suffered significant damage. Let us remind you that the first charter flight to this island from Moscow was planned for October 12. What happened to the airport can be seen in the footage below.
Jardines Del Rey Airport is in ruins. It is not yet known how long it will take to restore it.
At the Pullman Cayo Coco Hotel, all guests were evacuated and were not allowed to remain at the hotel. The video shows exactly this hotel.
It is reported that those who did not reschedule their vacation to other dates were forced to move to other regions of Cuba. There are no detailed stories from eyewitnesses from there, since there is no electricity and communications in Cayo Coco.
Later, the hurricane was recorded in the northern part of the province of Camagüey, the agency notes. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to hit Camagüey for the first time in 85 years, according to state radio.
Varadero after Hurricane Irma
Irma's heavy rain and powerful winds hit Caibarien, a small coastal city about 320 kilometers east of Havana, late Friday, followed by Varadero. Due to the storm, electricity was cut off as a preventative measure. In the resort town of Varadero, in Matanzas province, 14,500 foreign tourists were traveling because of the storm, according to state news organization Granma.
At dawn on Saturday, waves rolled down the main street of the city. Within a few hours, the entire city was flooded with several meters of water.
There are many large hotel complexes in Varadero. and strong enough to withstand the elements. Sometimes tourists were offered accommodation in a building instead of a bungalow.
The destruction in Varadero is, of course, no less severe.
The beaches of Varadero are ruins of umbrellas, small buildings have been destroyed, and in places there are dead fish and other marine life.
There were no reports of casualties among the population or tourists from Varadero, as well as from other cities in Cuba.
"This is a complete disaster and it will take a lot of work to get Varadero back on its feet," said Osmel de Armas, 53, a water photographer who works on the beach at the stricken resort.
For those who think that previously there was something similar in the Dominican Republic, we will reassure you. There was no hurricane in the Dominican Republic, neither in the northern nor in the western regions. Hurricane Irma was there in the form of rain and strong winds. In Punta Cana the wind was 3-4 times weaker than in Varadero. There were no waves of such strength in the Dominican Republic either, so there are no concerns about holidays in this country.
Russian tourists on social networks are sharing horror stories about Hurricane Irma, which raged through the popular Cuban resort of Varadero over the weekend. The roofs of hotels were blown off, people were evacuated to bunkers. At the same time, some Russian tour operators decided not to cancel flights and full planes took off right before the hurricane. “It was very, very scary during takeoff, the plane was shaking incredibly and throwing in different directions. After our flight, the airport was closed,” tourists write on social networks.
Hurricane Irma raged through Cuba over the weekend. There are now 1,200-1,500 Russians in 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, nor 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 travel agent Anzhelika Tolochek in the Profi.Travel group for travel agents on VKontakte.
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 damage to 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, urgently took its tourists out of Varadero on evacuation flights, and the Germans postponed the 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,” told by “elena_1612”.
In comments to the TourDom portal, representatives of Azur aAir 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 levy 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.
Ekaterinburg, Moscow, information service RIA “New Day”
Ekaterinburg, Moscow. Other news 09.11.17
© 2017, RIA “New Day”
The deadly Hurricane Irma virtually wiped out several Caribbean islands, making them uninhabitable. The death toll is growing. Now Irma is moving towards Cuba, the Bahamas and the US state of Florida. There is mass evacuation everywhere.
The Dominican Republic, where many of our tourists are, was hit tangentially by the hurricane. But airliner departures are still postponed. At the same time, compatriots complain that some hotels have begun to require additional payment for accommodation.
Perhaps the only good news from the Caribbean at this hour was that the deadly Irma, it seems, contrary to many forecasts, spared the Dominicans and the army of thousands of tourists, including about five thousand Russians. At least for this hour it is known that there are no deaths, despite the fact that the most powerful hurricane - the fifth category - led to serious destruction.
Many Caribbean islands and states have had it much worse. From everywhere, one after another, messages are coming in about catastrophic destruction and more and more victims of the disaster. Irma literally leveled thousands of homes in Barbuda, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy. Local authorities say that more than 90 percent of the infrastructure has been destroyed and all three islands are now unsuitable for human life.
“What I saw there was simply heartbreaking. The destruction is unprecedented. We will have to evacuate all remaining residents. And it is unknown when they will be able to return back. For us, this hurricane was the most terrible test in history,” says Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne.
In the last hours, Irma tormented the islands of Turk and Caicos, the consequences are not yet known, however, judging by the video footage, local residents and tourists had a hard time.
Next in the path of the hurricane were Haiti, where authorities declared a state of emergency and hastily evacuated the population. In Cuba and the Bahamas they are still just preparing for the arrival of Irma. Cuban authorities urgently evacuated more than 50 thousand tourists from the coast and put rescuers, police and public services on full alert.
“We are very afraid of what might happen. And we understand that we are practically powerless against the elements. A hurricane of the highest category five is approaching us. It is unknown how this will end,” says Clement Orama.
Until the last moment, the American Hurricane Center hoped that Irma might turn east and pass Florida. However, these hopes are fading hour by hour, weakening slightly, then intensifying again, the hurricane is inexorably moving towards this densely populated state and will reach its shores on Sunday morning.
Cuba's hurricane season runs from July to November, with September and October considered the months with the highest chance of cyclone formation. Additionally, these months tend to have more rainfall due to tropical storms.
It's worth noting that hurricanes in Cuba are not life-threatening, but they may mean you need to reconsider your vacation plans. We believe that during hurricane season in Cuba it is better to come to this island for at least 10 days, as there is a risk of spending up to 4-5 days in a hotel. Imagine that you came to Cuba for a week, and were only able to spend 1-2 days on the beach. Few people will be happy with this prospect.
Cuba is very well prepared for hurricanes, and every hotel has people in charge of evacuations. However, in most cases, when a hurricane hits, hotel staff will only advise you not to go outside.
Hurricane Irma in Cuba
Since Hurricane Irma in 2017 is already considered one of the strongest in recent years, it is not surprising that it frightened many tourists who are going or on vacation to Cuba.
When will Hurricane Irma hit Cuba? It is already approaching the island, and will pass in close proximity to it in the next couple of days.
Let's take a look at Hurricane Irma's predicted path. As you can see in the image below, the hurricane will pass between the Bahamas and Cuba, closer to the latter. As you can see in the picture, there will be a hurricane near Varadero in the afternoon of September 9th. It is clearly visible that the red level of danger is observed along the entire coast of Florida and on the part of the coast of Cuba where Varadero is located. Havana, judging by the image, remains clear of the hurricane.
Of course, those tourists who are now in Varadero, and those who are going to fly on vacation to this resort area of Cuba, are not in the best mood now, since the red danger level is serious. However, as we can see, Hurricane Irma's danger category should drop to 4. Although hurricanes in this category are also very powerful, the wind speed will not be the highest. Secondly, we see that the hurricane, before reaching Varadero, should turn north towards Florida. If everything happens this way, then Hurricane Irma will slightly affect the famous resort in Cuba. Recently, a hurricane passed near the Dominican Republic, and the resorts of this country were practically unaffected by it. So let's hope that Hurricane Irma in Cuba also does not leave serious marks.
Hurricane Irma warning in Cuba is currently in effect for provinces Camagüey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara.
As for the situation in Varadero, my friend said that they are preparing for a hurricane here. Local residents board up their windows and remove all things from the street that could fly away. In addition, store shelves in Varadero and other cities in the region are emptying.
For now, all that remains is to prepare for the hurricane and hope that it will pass by or will not be very destructive.
We will try to keep you up to date with the latest developments. If something changes fundamentally, we will inform you.
Situation as of 12:30 Moscow time
We managed to contact a friend who lives in the city of Santa Clara. The hurricane should arrive there soon. According to my friend, everyone in the city is ready for serious destruction; no one has any illusions that the hurricane will pass without a trace. According to him, flooding is observed in many areas around the islands of Cayo Romano and Cayo Coco. However, no serious damage is known yet. As for the forecasts, they are ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a forecast according to which Hurricane Irma in Cuba will turn north just before Varadero and only slightly hit this resort:
But, on the other hand, there is a forecast according to which the epicenter of the hurricane will pass just over Varadero, and only then turn towards the west coast of Florida:
In any case, this is not the first time that a hurricane has come to Cuba, so there is no doubt that hotels in Varadero and other resort areas of Cuba are built to withstand the most severe hurricane.
MOSCOW, November 13 – RIA Novosti, Irina Nekhoroshkina. Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba, Director of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Tourism in Russia, Edilberto Riveron Leon, in an interview with RIA Novosti, noted the record growth in tourist flows from Russia, despite the terrible Hurricane Irma, which hit the Caribbean on September 10, 2017, and assured that guests of the Island Freedom should not be afraid of such natural disasters.
The representative of Cuba said that tourism in his country accounts for approximately 30-40% of total GDP and that it ranks second in importance among other sectors of the country's economy, right after the service sector.
Record tourist flow from Russia
“2017 is considered very successful for Cuba in terms of tourism. Now we can say for sure that before October 2017, more than 80 thousand tourists from Russia visited Liberty Island. If we take 2012 for comparison, which became the most successful tourist season for Cuba, then "At that time, 86 thousand of your fellow citizens visited us. Based on the indicators obtained until October, we can confidently say that this record will be broken in 2017," Riveron assessed the situation.
He clarified that Cuba would like to reach 100 thousand Russian tourists in 2017, but the tourist flow is estimated at the end of the year. “I think that it (this figure) is quite achievable, but I am sure that more than 90 thousand Russians will definitely visit Cuba by the end of the year,” the diplomat said.
According to Riveron, Russians currently occupy 11th place among foreign tourists in Cuba.
“The first place is traditionally occupied by Canadian citizens, who really like to come to the island. Next come the Americans - they are our neighbors, and recently, US citizens have again begun to come to Cuba more often. After them, the top places in the ranking are shared by representatives of European countries, as well as Argentina and Mexico," Riveron explained.
According to the adviser, tourists from China also come to Cuba who do not like beach holidays, but for them there are many interesting places in Cuba, in addition to the sun and sea.
Don't be afraid of hurricanes
According to the diplomat, the terrible hurricane Irma, which hit the Caribbean region on September 10, 2017, overshadowed the good tourist season in Cuba.
“Cuba was unlucky this year, but such a phenomenon as a hurricane cannot be predicted long in advance. Sometimes people ask me whether it is worth going to Cuba in the summer because of the danger of hurricanes. Sometimes a hurricane happens once every five years. I am Cuban myself, I am over 50 years old, but I’ve been through hurricanes three times in my life and I can say that you shouldn’t be afraid of hurricanes,” Riveron said.
The interlocutor emphasized that the system of protection against such natural disasters works very well in Cuba, thanks to which there are very few casualties in the country.
"It is wrong to think that when a hurricane warning comes in, everyone protects themselves as they wish. There is a strict program where for each stage there are certain safety measures that everyone must follow. Government authorities are very strict in enforcing the proper regulations, and no one can deal with amateur performance," he explained.
The diplomat said that many countries around the world recognize the Cuban security system during natural disasters and the rules of conduct during natural disasters as the most effective.
Hurricane Irma and its consequences
Riveron clarified that Hurricane Irma caused particularly severe destruction on small islands in the north of the region.
“For example, on Varadero, all the damage was quickly eliminated, and even those hotels that received more serious damage did not stop operating - everything was fixed in just a couple of weeks. But on islands such as Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Coco there was extensive damage, but people there were not injured, and the disaster did not cause serious damage to utilities,” the source said.
The adviser noted that the local government and residents of the affected areas with great enthusiasm began to eliminate the damage caused by the disaster, and in 44 days almost everything had already been restored.
“On October 23, the first flights with tourists arrived from Canada. On November 1, 10 hotels out of 16 damaged structures were restored on Cayo Coco, and another 6 hotels will open on November 10-15. The situation is approximately the same on Cayo Santa Maria. So we can say that virtually all the damage caused by Hurricane Irma in Cuba has been repaired. There were people who did not believe that restoration work would be carried out so quickly, but even skeptics, having seen how much has already been done, no longer doubt that November 15 the last hotel will open after reconstruction,” he outlined the situation.
While the restoration work was going on, the northern islands did not receive tourists at all, even the airport in Cayo Coco was closed, although all transport communications, including the dams connecting the islands, were quickly restored.
“I would like to emphasize that hotels that were awaiting scheduled repairs also fell into the disaster zone, so in many structures not only were they eliminating the consequences of the hurricane, but they were also undergoing regular reconstruction. So most of the accommodation places are now even better than they were. Those tourists those who know these destinations well will be pleasantly surprised by visiting the renovated hotels,” the diplomat noted.
Tourist safety
The representative of Cuba assured that tourists in Cuba will not have to worry about their safety.
"Crime in Cuba is very low. This is the safest country in Latin America, so it is ideal for a family holiday. There you can walk around the cities and talk with people with complete peace of mind. Cubans are very welcoming and friendly, but they have a special sympathy for Russians. This has become the result of many years of relations between our countries,” he explained.
According to Riveron, Cuba has good security services for local residents and tourists.
“Their representatives are always present at all sites in the country, especially in tourist places. Hotels and airports always have security, surveillance cameras and the like. In terms of security, Cuba is a very stable and friendly country. I advise all my friends in Russia, come to Cuba - visit a country where you are loved,” he said.
Popularity of Cuba
According to Riveron, the growing interest of Russian consumers in the Cuban tourist destination was influenced by several factors. “On the one hand, the economy of Russia itself has become more stable, the ruble exchange rate is strengthening, on the other hand, due to sanctions and due to the tightening of the rules for issuing American visas, some Russians have turned their attention to Cuba,” he believes.
The diplomat recalled that among the Caribbean countries, Cuba offers the best value for money, and vacationing there is noticeably cheaper than its neighbors in the region.
He clarified that the success of the Cuban destination is due not only to the prices of local hotels, but also to the fact that after the bankruptcy of Transaero, new players from Russian tour operators appeared on the Cuban market, such as ANEX Tour, which provide direct air transportation to Cuba.
“Just now, literally on October 24, a new flight program from St. Petersburg to Varadero began. This is very important, since there have been no flights from the Northern capital to Cuba for many years. There are already flights to Cayo Coca, which is very important for us, since Russians will be able to get acquainted not only with Havana and Varadero, but also with other areas of Cuba. We think that Cayo Santa Maria and other places will eventually become destinations for charter flights from Russia. There are more than 10 airports in Cuba that can accept international long-haul flights flights," a Cuban embassy spokesman said.
