Hurricanes in Cuba per year. Hurricane Irma flooded Cuba: Havana is on the verge of destruction. Hurricane Irma and its consequences
MOSCOW, Nov 13 - RIA Novosti, Irina Nekhoroshkina. Advisor to the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba, Director of the Ministry of Tourism in Russia Edilberto Riveron Leon in an interview with RIA Novosti noted a record increase in tourist flow from Russia, despite the terrible hurricane Irma, which hit the Caribbean on September 10, 2017, and assured that the guests of the Island Freedom should not be afraid of such natural disasters.
The representative of Cuba said that tourism in his country accounted for approximately 30-40% of the total GDP and that he took the second place in importance among other sectors of the country's economy, immediately after the services sector.
Record tourist flow from Russia
“2017 is considered to be very successful for Cuba in terms of tourism. Now we can say for sure that until October 2017, more than 80 thousand tourists from Russia visited Liberty Island. If we take for comparison the year 2012, which was the most successful tourist season for Cuba, then then 86 thousand of your fellow citizens visited us. Based on the obtained indicators, by October we can confidently say that this record will be broken in 2017, "Riveron assessed the situation.
He specified that in Cuba they would like to receive an indicator of 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’m sure that more than 90 thousand Russians will definitely visit Cuba before the end of the year,” the diplomat said.
According to Riveron, while the Russians take 11th place among foreign tourists in Cuba.
"The first place is traditionally occupied by Canadian citizens who love to come to the island. Next come the Americans - they are our neighbors, and recently, US citizens have again come to Cuba more often. After them, the top places in the rating are shared by representatives of European countries, as well as Argentina and Mexico, "Riveron explained.
According to the adviser, tourists from China who do not like beach vacations come to Cuba, but for them in Cuba there are many interesting places besides the sun and the sea.
Do not 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 not lucky this year, but such a phenomenon as a hurricane cannot be predicted for a long time. Sometimes they ask me whether it’s worth the hurricanes to go to Cuba in the summer. Sometimes a hurricane happens once every five years. I’m Cuban myself, I’m over 50 years old, but in my life I’ve survived a hurricane three times and I can say that you shouldn’t be afraid of a hurricane, ”Riveron said.
The interlocutor emphasized that in Cuba, the system of protection against such natural disasters works very well, due to which there are very few casualties in the country.
“It’s wrong to think that when a warning about a hurricane arrives, then everyone defends as he wants. There is a strict program where for each stage certain security measures work that everyone is obliged to carry out. State authorities strictly monitor the implementation of the relevant regulations, and no one can deal with amateur activities, "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 said that the hurricane "Irma" caused particularly severe damage to small islands in the north of the region.
“For example, in Varadero, all the damage was quickly repaired, and even those hotels that suffered more serious damage didn’t stop working, they fixed it in just a couple of weeks. But on islands like Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Coco there were big damages, but people there We didn’t suffer, 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 was already restored.
“On October 23, the first flights with tourists arrived from Canada. On November 1, 10 hotels from 16 affected structures were restored on Cayo Coco, and another 6 hotels will open on November 10-15. The situation is similar on Cayo Santa Maria. So, you can say that virtually all the damage caused by Hurricane Irma was eliminated in Cuba. There were people who did not believe that the restoration work would be carried out so quickly, but even skeptics, seeing how much has been done, no longer doubt that November 15 will open after reconstruction last about tel, "he outlined the situation.
While reconstruction was in progress, the northern islands did not accept 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 want to emphasize that the hotels that were waiting for the scheduled repair also got into the disaster area, so many structures not only eliminated the effects of the hurricane, but also underwent another reconstruction. So most of the accommodations are now even better than they were. Those tourists, who know these areas well, they will be pleasantly surprised by visiting the updated hotels, "the diplomat said.
Tourist Safety
The representative of Cuba assured that tourists in Cuba would not have to worry about their safety.
"Crime in Cuba is very low. It is the safest country in Latin America, so it is ideal for families. There you can easily walk around the cities, talk with people. Cubans are very welcoming and friendly, but they have special sympathy for the Russians. It has become the result of many years of relations between our countries, "he explained.
According to Riveron, in Cuba, security services for locals and tourists work well.
"Their representatives are always present at all facilities in the country, especially in tourist places. There are security guards at hotels and airports, surveillance cameras and the like. Cuba, in terms of security, the country is very stable and friendly. I advise all my friends in Russia, come to Cuba - visit a country where you are loved, "he said.
Cuba's popularity
According to Riveron, several factors influenced the growth of interest of Russian consumers in the Cuban tourist destination. "On the one hand, the economy of Russia itself has become more stable, the ruble is strengthening, on the other hand, due to sanctions and tightening the rules for issuing American visas, some Russians turned their attention to Cuba," he said.
The diplomat recalled that among the countries of the Caribbean, Cuba offers the best value for money, and it is much cheaper to relax there than with neighbors in the region.
He clarified that the success of the Cuban destination was due not only to the prices of local hotels, but also to the fact that after the bankruptcy of Transaero, new players from the number of Russian tour operators, such as ANEX Tour, who operate direct flights to Cuba, appeared on the Cuban market.
“Just, literally on October 24, a new flight program began from St. Petersburg to Varadero. This is very important, since there have not been 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 to know not only Havana and Varadero, but also 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 ", - tale l representative of the Cuban embassy.
The deadly hurricane Irma actually wiped out several Caribbean islands, they are now unsuitable for life. The number of dead is growing. Irma is now moving to Cuba, the Bahamas and the US state of Florida. Everywhere mass evacuation.
Dominican Republic, where there are many of our tourists, the hurricane touched on a tangent. But the departure of liners is still delayed. At the same time, compatriots complain that some hotels have begun to require an additional payment for accommodation.
Perhaps the only good news from the Caribbean at this hour was that the deadly Irma, contrary to many forecasts, seemed to spare 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 dead, despite the fact that the most powerful hurricane of the fifth category led to serious destruction.
Many Caribbean islands and states had much worse. From everywhere, one after another, reports of catastrophic destruction and ever new victims of the elements come. Irma literally razed the thousands of homes in Barbuda, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy. Local authorities say that infrastructure has been destroyed by more than 90 percent and all three islands are no longer suitable for human life.
“What I saw there is just breaking my heart. Destruction is unprecedented. We will have to evacuate all the remaining residents. And it is not known when they will be able to return back. For us, this hurricane was the most terrible test in history, ”said Gaston Brown, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda.
In the last hours, Irma tormented the islands of Turk and Caicos, the consequences are not yet known, however, judging by the video frames, local residents and tourists had a hard time.
Further, Haiti found itself on the path of the hurricane, where the authorities declared a state of emergency and hastily evacuated the population. In Cuba and the Bahamas, the arrival of Irma is still only being prepared. The Cuban authorities urgently evacuated more than 50 thousand tourists from the coast and brought rescuers, police and utilities into full combat readiness.
“We are very afraid of what might happen. And we understand that against the elements we are practically powerless. A hurricane of the highest fifth category is approaching us. It is not known how this will end, ”says Clement Oram.
Until the last moment, the American Hurricane Watch Center had hoped that the Irma could turn east and pass Florida. However, these hopes are melting every hour, now slightly weakening, now intensifying again, the hurricane is inexorably moving to this densely populated state and will reach its shores on Sunday morning.
Hurricane Irma affected the northern coast of Cuba on the night of Friday to Saturday, September 9, and moved further to the west of the island, already slightly weakened. The wind speed at the initial contact of the hurricane with the island was 209 km / h. The authorities of Cuba closed the airport of Havana.
Havana itself has destroyed and damaged hundreds of buildings. Several dozen settlements and resorts in the north of the island suffered, from which about 10 thousand people were evacuated on Saturday. On Sunday, Hurricane Irma went to Florida.
HOW MUCH NOW RUSSIAN TOURISTS IN CUBA
Estimated, the share of organized Russian tourist flow in Cuba is more than 90%. According to Edilberto Lyon, a representative of Cuban tourism in Moscow, at present, from 1200 to 1500 organized Russian tourists can be in Cuba. At the same time, organized tourists from Russia are concentrated in the resorts of Varadero, Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria. Independent tourists are usually accommodated in Havana. The exact number of Russians traveling in Cuba now, he found it difficult to name. Nevertheless, based on the predominance of organized tourist flow, it can be assumed that it is only slightly larger than the above figure.
DYNAMICS OF THE RUSSIAN FURTHER FLOW TO CUBA
According to the latest Cuban statistics, in the first half of 2017, more than 52 thousand Russian tourists visited Cuba. This is 2.2 times more than it was in January-June 2016, and 2.3 times more than it was in the same period of 2014. Thus, today, based on the same statistics, Russia is in the TOP-15 of the largest inbound tourism markets for Cuba with 12th place. The leaders of the incoming tourist flow to Cuba are Canada, and the top five countries also include Spain, France, Italy and Germany
According to Rosstat, in January-June 2017, 39 thousand Russian trips to Cuba were recorded. Although the absolute figures are slightly less than the Cuban ones, the growth is similar: 216% in annual terms (18 thousand trips for the same period in 2016). According to the forecasts of the Cuban side, the number of Russian tourists by the end of 2017 may reach 80 thousand people.
Hurricane Irma became a real blow for tourist Cuba. Tourists post on the social network photos of the destroyed lobby and rooms with broken glass and broken furniture. One can agree that such posts cannot reflect the real picture of the state of the resort. What is going on in Varadero, I personally decided to find out a Spanish travel agent - he drove through the hotels and posted a report on Tripadvisor. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with it in order to decide whether it is worth going to Cuba now.
"Irma" took a walk
According to the travel agent, the element worked not only on hotels, but literally overwhelmed the entire resort with debris, stones and fallen trees. Despite the fact that the Varadero airport should work from day to day, it is very difficult to get to it. The road is blocked by fallen electric poles and various debris. The city itself was also badly damaged. There are problems with electricity, some stores do not work.
Inspection of hotels showed that many of them have common problems. Access to some is actually blocked by trees and litter. Although the hotels themselves have begun restoration work, the roads to them have not yet been cleared. There is also no regular supply of electricity. Most hotels run on backup power generators. Cellular and Internet are available with great interruptions.
In his report, the travel agent notes that most of the guests are in their rooms, as the authorities ask them to stay away from beach areas and areas damaged by the hurricane. At the same time, restaurants did not resume their work in all hotels; where there are problems with food, tourists are again delivered food directly to their rooms.
Counted on the head
In addition to the overall assessment, the travel agent spoke about the status of the most popular hotels in the resort. Many of them are badly damaged, but there are also those who practically did not suffer from the hurricane Irma.
Blau marina varadero - the hotel suffered serious damage, as it is located right at the tip of the peninsula and came under the direct hit of the Irma. In the main building, the roof and glass doors are destroyed by wind. Damage is in the rooms themselves. The waves blurred the beach.
Melia Marina Varadero- Some rooms have broken windows, damaged balconies, but the greatest damage can be seen in the common areas of the hotel, especially in the lobby. The hotel is located on a hill, so protection against gusts of wind is minimal.
Grand memories varadero - restoration work will be required in the lobby. Irma also caused great damage to the roof, gardens and pools of the hotel. According to the general director of the hotel, about 40 rooms will have to be repaired; windows, in particular, are broken in them. But in general, there are no serious structural damage. However, access to the beach is almost blocked.
Memories varadero - The hotel is in relatively good condition. Some restoration work will be required in the corridors, public areas and rooms on the upper floors, where leaks in the ceiling can be fixed only after the roof has been completely replaced. Currently, the hotel has already opened a lobby bar without alcohol. It is planned that he will soon be able to work as usual.
Paradisus varadero - the roof on the roof was partially demolished, the main building was also badly damaged by the wind, the new restaurant, which was built near the beach, collapsed. Apparently, restoring the hotel will cost the owner a large amount.
Royalton hicacos - Another hotel that received a lot of damage. The beach area is blurred due to waves. The restaurant on the beach is partially destroyed, the roof is torn off in places. Caribeño Restaurant has broken windows. The hotel area is littered with rubble.
Iberostar Varadero - thatched roofs were blown off at part of the bungalow, those that were located by the pool were completely destroyed. The theater was damaged at the hotel.
Be live turquesa - the hotel was evacuated, so it was not possible to conduct a full inspection.
Playa de oro - the windows are broken in the rooms. The hotel lobby and pool are partially destroyed. Across the territory, felled trees. Nevertheless, the restaurant is open and provides guests with food.
ROC Arenas Doradas - The hotel is in relatively good condition. Air conditioners were torn off in some places, but there was no significant damage.
Meliá las antillas - The hotel was also almost not injured. Minor damage to the facade will be quickly repaired.
Blau varadero - due to the fact that the hotel is quite high, the main damage occurred on the upper floors. The lobby was almost unaffected by the hurricane.
Starfish varadero - no particular damage was noted.
Brisas del caribe - The rooms and lobby are badly damaged. During the inspection, several tourists were noticed who were waiting for relocation due to the fact that windows were broken in their rooms and ceilings leaked.
Iberostar Laguna Azul - the hotel is located on a hill, but did not receive serious damage, despite the open location. However, several bungalows were completely destroyed, the roof was torn from the restaurant.
Starfish Cuatro Palmas - the hotel was evacuated. A quick inspection revealed partial damage to the facade.
At the end of his note, the travel agent predicted that repairing all the damage would take at least several months. This is due to the fact that the restoration of electricity, water and telecommunications services is a priority. Hoteliers will repair facades and rooms last.
Note that numerous destruction in hotels in Cuba was officially reported by and Rostourism. Nevertheless, in case of refusal of tourists from tours to the island, cancellations will occur in a standard format, taking into account the actually incurred costs of the tour operator. Therefore, to sell Cuba now or not, the travel agent must decide for itself.
Huge waves smashed the quay of the old colonial city after the northern coast of the island was swept away by a storm. Residents of the Cuban capital were waist-deep in water. Havana's communications are completely destroyed.
“This is a terrible catastrophe, because most buildings are not prepared for the elements and will not withstand the flood,” says Cuban Janmar Suarez, standing chest to water in the water.
Country Express Info
Cuba (Republic of Cuba) is an island nation in the northern Caribbean.
Capital- Havana
Largest cities: Havana, Santiago de Cuba
Form of government - Socialist Republic
Territory- 110 860 km 2 (104th in the world)
Population- 11.38 million people (77th in the world)
Official language - spanish
Religion - Catholicism, syncretism
HDI- 0.769 (67th in the world)
GDP- $ 77.15 billion (66th in the world)
Currency- peso
“This has happened for the first time in the 49 years that I have been living here,” says Ernesto Losa, whose house, fortunately, was on an elevation and suffered the least. “The sea level has always risen, but there has never been a flood.”
Cuban authorities said that in the capital, wind speeds reached 150 km / h. On Sunday, Havana was left without electricity, water and telephone services were interrupted. In some places, ocean water has risen higher than 500 meters. The city's municipality reports that the situation will not improve until Tuesday.
https://youtu.be/AeMpwB_Rg8o
“Irma” completely destroyed the center of Cuba on Saturday - blowing down roofs, tearing trees with roots, breaking power lines. Cuban media reported that wind speeds reached 256 km / h. Authorities evacuated about a million people, of which about 4 thousand from coastal areas and tourist centers. No casualties were reported in Cuba.
Cuban helping hand
Now Cuba itself is in distress, however, last week about 750 doctors were sent to help the regions affected by the outrages of Irma - to the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Cuban doctors in the Dominican Islands
A small country with a population of 11 million does not remain indifferent to the victims of the elements. So, a team of 600 Cuban medical workers worked in Sierra Leone in 2014 at the height of Ebola, and 1,200 Cuban doctors ended up in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. Who will come to the aid of Cuba today?
