Cuba in FULL RecoveryCuba in full recovery The rehabilitation of electricity, the restoration of regular water supply to the population and restarting the school year are priorities for the Cuban authorities ...
Author: Alejandra Garca | internet@granma.cu
12 September 2017 03:09:39
Huracan Irma, the recovery and cleaning phase
Photo: Ismael Batista
The rehabilitation of electricity, restoration of regular water supply to the population and restarting the school year are priorities for the Cuban authorities, officials assured during the seventh meeting of the National Council of the defense for disaster prevention, held this Monday capital.
At the meeting, they were assisted by members of the Political Bureau Esteban Lazo Hernandez, President of the National Assembly of People's Power, Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valds Menndez, Vice-President of the Councils of State and Ministers and General Army Corps Leopoldo Cintra Frias, Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, was called for the union of all forces so that the country could return to normal as soon as possible.
Electrical Union of Cuba "has not stopped working on this service reset function," said Yuri Camilo Villamonte, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines at the meeting.
Because of the severe damage that Hurricane Irma has caused to all of the country's power stations, we can not estimate how long it will take to recover and fully activate electricity, he said.
However, "it will be sooner rather than later, and we have restored service in most of the eastern provinces of the country and have started activating work in the West, primarily in the capital," added the sub- Minister.
In the case of the capital, will try to allow public lighting in areas that remain without electricity, member of the Political Bureau, Mercedes Lpez Acea, vice president of the Council of State and President of the Defense Council of Havana provincial government reported.
Water supply is another service that has suffered damage after the passage of Irma, "but is already working on its standardization," said Ins Mara Chapman, president of the National Institute of Water Resources.
The eastern provinces have been restoring water supply as the national power system recovers in these territories.
Such is the case of Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Granma, places where there is no hose damage.
In provinces where energy allocations persist, it meets the needs of the population through emergency generators, water pipes and tank trucks.
And it began the transfer of resources to the central region of the country severely affected by the onslaught of Hurricane Irma. "Account right now with seven pipes and several brigades to start the recovery work and ensure the supply," Chapman said.
In Havana, there are other complications that are allowed. The systems are larger, if you need more work on repairs and increased movement in the water supply.
Yet for the president of the National Institute of Water Resources in less than 72 hours most of the problems of slaughter in the capital could be solved.
The education sector is also progressing towards the recovery told journalists Elsa Velzquez Ena, Minister of Education.
So far, there are over 1,400 educational institutions involved, including about 500 in the capital. However, "we have already begun in all the schools of the country the process of sanitation to create the conditions necessary to restart the school year as soon as possible," he added.
The ministry did not set a fixed start date, taking into account the fact that all provinces had suffered the same damage. However, it is estimated that classrooms across the country are opening their doors throughout this week, said the minister.