Cuba Concentrates Resources in Recovering Houses Damaged by Sandy

Havana, Nov 5 (Prensa Latina) Most of the construction materials that get to the Eastern zones of Cuba affected by hurricane Sandy are headed to the recovery of the houses damaged by the phenomenon.

From different parts of the country arrive to Santiago de Cuba and Holguin, the most affected provinces, cement, wood, blocks and roofs.

According to the newspaper Ahora, through the Vita Port, in Holguin, came yesterday from the Western region 665 tons of wood and roofs for people affected by Sandy,

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The national TV reported also the arrival to Santiago de Cuba of 43 000 roofs in a ship from the revolutionary navy.

Of that total, 38 000 will be designated to the housing repairing, while the rest will be used in state entities hit last October 25 by the hurricane that caused severe damages in the Eastern region with winds higher that 175 km/h. Sandy damaged about 200 000 houses, more than 130 000 in Santiago de Cuba and about 52 000 in Holguin, according to official data.

http://www.plenglish.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=677641&Itemid=1

Raúl tours affected areas in Santiago de Cuba

MUCH destruction, countless trees uprooted and electricity poles brought down. This continued to be the predominant scene throughout Santiago de Cuba on Monday, October 29. But it is accompanied by a swarm of men and women who, with modern equipment or simple machetes and brooms, are visibly transforming the image of widespread devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Sandy four days previously.

Thousands of people are on the move to their workplaces and, little by little, the characteristic maelstrom of eastern Cuba’s principal city is being reborn.

"There goes Raúl!" "He’s looking at everything, compay!" "I knew he’d come, we’re not on our own." "It’s great to have you with us!" "Here we are, getting down to it!" "We’re getting there, fighting!" "Standing firm!" "Long live Fidel and Raúl!"

These and other similar affirmations could be heard as the car driving the Cuban President passed through the streets of Chicharrones, San Pedrito, Flores, Siboney, El Caney and other points of the city. A demonstration that optimism, strength and a determination to recover predominate, despite the serious difficulties faced by practically all of the population, in particular those whose homes were totally or partially destroyed.

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/2nov-raul-santiago.html