The Cuban Meteorological Institute (Insmet) reported that the center of the hurricane left the island at around 09:50 am local time (10:50 am in Brasília).
The movement generated a partial weakening of the phenomenon, but heavy rain and winds continued to be felt in Cuba throughout the day.
In recent years, more intense, wet and windy hurricanes have hit Cuba and Florida, which some experts attribute to climate changesystem. ((CNN)
Consequences on Cuban territory
About 40 thousand people were removed from their homes in Pinar del Río, the city where the hurricane passed, until the early hours of this Tuesday (27). Local media showed images of houses without roofs, flooded and with objects destroyed. Island authorities said material damage was “considerable”. So far, no victims have been reported in the territory.
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“Desolation and destruction. We live hours of terror. There’s nothing left here,” said a 70-year-old man, resident of Pinar del Río, to a local television journalist, who shared the video on social media.
A few minutes before the hurricane made landfall in Cuba, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that the storm recorded winds of 185 kilometers per hour, with gusts of up to 200 km/h.
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Towards Florida
After an alert from the NHC, the state of Flória, in the south of the United States, is also preparing for the phenomenon. United States President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida, allowing federal aid funds to be released.
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Expect the worst
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared state of emergency in 67 counties e ordered evacuation of the population.
DeSantis warned the public about even greater risks compared to the Cuban case. “It is necessary to understand that the impacts will be much greater”, stated the governor, indicating that Ian has a historical potential for “catastrophic floods and storm surges that threaten lives”.
The governor stated that the hurricane “will bring heavy rains, strong winds, flash floods, storm surges… along the Gulf Coast of Florida”, this Monday (26) at a press conference in Tallahassee.
Preventive measures
Around 7 soldiers were mobilized to help combat the cyclone, the governor said. In cities such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, authorities distributed sandbags among residents to reinforce flood protection.
With AFP
