Hurricane Ian, which hit western Cuba last week with Category 3 force winds and brought devastating flooding to the western provinces of Pinar del Río and Artemisa, destroyed more than 7,600 homes and damaged more than 68,000, Cuban authorities said.
According to the Office of the Presidency, 68,370 homes suffered damage in Pinar del Río alone, including 7,664 that were totally destroyed by the storm, which made landfall on the province’s southern coast on Sept. 27 and spent several hours barreling over its territory. More than a thousand people remain in government shelters, the president’s office said on Twitter on Thursday.
More than a week later, most residents in Pinar del Río still have no electricity. Cuba’s electric company has been able to restore service to about 20% of its clients in that province. Many also remain without running water, though authorities have not provided precise numbers.
