Photo: Jaliosky Ajete Rabeiro

By Roberto Morejón

The usual weekend calmness in Pinar del Rio has been relegated by the continuity of the feverish and organized hustle and bustle, in order to heal the deep wounds caused by the intense hurricane Ian in the western Cuban province.

The centers set up for the sale of construction materials, half of the price of which is financed by the State, opened their doors last Saturday and Sunday, in tune with the urgent needs of the victims.

Such agitation is justified if we take into account that the powerful meteorological phenomenon that crossed western Cuba on September 27 with winds of more than 200 kilometers per hour, caused total and partial damage to one hundred thousand houses.

The images of Pinareños trying to gather materials that were blown away by the strong winds in order to take shelter immediately, generated solidarity among Cubans.

The constant carrying of roofs to sell to the people affected by the meteor guarantees a stable coverage in Pinar del Río, thanks to the fact that the main efforts of the country are concentrated there, since it is the hardest hit province.

Although recovering the roof continues as a legitimate aspiration of those who were partially affected, nobody forgets those who totally lost their houses and goods.

More than two weeks after the devastating meteorological phenomenon, more than 5,200 people were still evacuated, to whom food and essential supplies were delivered. 

Cubans living in all the territories are delivering goods and financial resources to be sent in a disciplined manner to the victims in Pinar del Río, where international relief is also on its way.

This is the case of a water treatment plant supplied by specialized UN agencies, capable of transferring up to 15,000 liters of treated water per day to disadvantaged settlements.

The progress made by electricity workers in Pinar del Río and the rest of the country in their efforts to replace poles, cables and transformers on the ground should contribute to a better allocation of water.

A little more than half of the Pinar del Río consumers already enjoy the electric connection, but nobody rests because tens of thousands still lack it, due to the magnitude of the disaster.

It is true that for those who have not been able to receive this service, the mishap will seem like an eternity, but we insist on transmitting messages of encouragement, along with the delivery of other aid, because it is impossible to return to normality in unison throughout Pinar del Río.