Hurricane Ian nears Cuba on path to strike Florida as Cat 4

[helix]

I hope they get spared the worst. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/cuba-prepares-evacuations-as-strengthening-ts-ian-nears/2022/09/26/8430f716-3d52-11ed-8c6e-9386bd7cd826_story.html

“I hope we escape this one because it would be the end of us. We already have so little,” health worker Abel Rodrigues, 54, said.

[canadianbeaver]

Been reading this with such sympathetic feelings and hope all can take care. We have similar people facing this tragedy out east in Canada but it is much bigger place, with more resources. It all is horrifying news on tv.

CB

[SCgarman]

Here in the US on my preferred news channel, they show the storm directly on top of Cuba, but don't even mention the word Cuba nor the possible destruction there. Only about where and what may happen to Florida. It is strange, as if Cuba is a land mass with no human beings on it. It is literally ignored as if it doesn't exist at all. Does the news in other countries totally ignore Cuba?

[ElJavi76]

I texted my aunt ln before I went to bed, she said they’re scared. They’re in for some bad weather. Pinar del Rio is gonna take it in the teeth. She told me that she and my cousin only have the bathroom as refuge. I’ve been to her “house”. It’s more like a shack than a house. Then she commented, if we manage to make it we’ll try to replace what was destroyed but this time I’m not sure with what… there’s nothing to be had. I texted her again this morning upon waking but my message hasn’t been delivered yet. Hoping she, my other two aunts, and a slew of cousins are all ok. The word impotence comes to mind. I wish all Cubans in the path of this hurricane come out of it with their lives intact. We know the mess around material things out there, but let’s hope for no loss of life. 

[ha_banos]

So its just passed PdR... Any news? Hope people are ok and destruction is minimal...

 

[LizardGizmo]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid023d3MGc3o1PUa2EwsRwqVVZ3xD5bWU15ZaAmHn4t3223Q8JmwGsf48YWDnuSbfBtWl&id=100027562477436

Horochi Robaina posted these photos of their farm a few hours ago 😳

[Fugu]

3 hours ago, ElJavi76 said:

I wish all Cubans in the path of this hurricane come out of it with their lives intact. We know the mess around material things out there, but let’s hope for no loss of life. 

Hopes and thoughts are with your family members, Javi, and all Cubans affected! 🙏 

[helix]

Oh man it looks bad hit hard. Just a terrible situation in Cuba. My heart goes out to them. 

These storms are wicked everywhere. 100+ year old structures in the the Canadian maritimes being destroyed by never before seen events.   

😟

[dshot]

Hurricane Ian is cigar hungry PDR then Tampa WTF! It looks horrible praying for the people impacted all over.

[Corylax18]

I haven't been able to get a hold of anyone one on the west side of the island yet today, but every thing I've seen points to pretty significant damage. It sounds like several 10s of thousands of people where able to evacuate to the east before it hit, so hopefully the loss of life is minimal.  

[El Presidente]

10 hours ago, SCgarman said:

 Does the news in other countries totally ignore Cuba?

No. This is a unique US news attribute 

I haven't been able to reach anyone in PDR this morning.

[Chas.Alpha]

8 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

I haven't been able to get a hold of anyone one on the west side of the island yet today, but every thing I've seen points to pretty significant damage. It sounds like several 10s of thousands of people where able to evacuate to the east before it hit, so hopefully the loss of life is minimal.  

All I got from US news is that 2 people confirmed killed. 1 man, one woman.

 

It is set to make landfall over my old house in Cape Coral, just like Charley did in 2004. This will be worse. A lower category storm, but moving at a snail's pace. Going to be a long day for my old friends and neighbors tomorrow... ☹️

Those that live there still have it good compared to PdR. 

[GaryK 54]

Ian passed directly over PDR. These are photos posted this morning (my morning in Shanghai) of the Robaina Vega. The one showing the carving of Don Alejandro is poignant… surviving amidst the rest of the devastation.

Such a devastating impact to the people of Cuba who have already suffered so much. 

[El Presidente]

Bloody hell. Devastating. 😢

[GaryK 54]

1 minute ago, El Presidente said:

Bloody hell. Devastating. 😢

I know. Helluva storm. Just tears one’s heart out to see those with so little continue to suffer so much. Cubans are resilient people and will come back from this, but what a disaster. 

[ElJavi76]

I managed to call my aunt this morning… had her on for like 30 seconds before the call dropped. I tried 5 more times immediately after but couldn’t connect. She managed to tell me that she was bunkered down with my cousin in their bathroom but the roof was blown off her home and they were soaked thru. That’s all I managed to get from her. These photos hitting social media paint the picture. Not good! 

[helix]

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/hurricane-ian-makes-landfall-over-western-cuba-nhc-says-2022-09-27/

A journalist with a state-run news agency reported that 100% of the electrical circuits in the country were out of service and that "the Antonio Guiteras thermo-electric power plant… could not be synchronised".

Based in Matanzas, 100km east of the capital Havana, Antonio Guiteras is the most important energy plant in Cuba. Its shutdown means there is currently no electricity generation anywhere on the island.

[El Presidente]

 

Cuba without electricity after Hurricane Ian hammers power grid

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/cuba-without-electricity-after-hurricane-hammers-power-grid/101482258

 

 

 

[Corylax18]

None of My Whatsapp messages or call requests have been going through since late yesterday evening. Nothing at all since about 7 EST last night. But something isn't adding up here.

Cuba, (like most counties) doesnt have a single "power grid" they have a fancy version of what people in the states do on camping trips. One generator in the middle and spider webs of different extensions cords spreading from it to everyone's tents. 

Its why PdR had been seeing far worse blackouts then Havana, Santiago, Etc. They are on a completely different set of generators and distribution infrastructure than Havana, or Granma, or Oriente Provinces. 

My guess is that the fuel drivers stopped driving days before the storm hit and EVERY plant on the island ran dry. Beyond and EMP attack, I cant think of any other way that every square foot of the island went dark. 

[Fugu]

“No deaths were reported.“

Hopefully, it’ll stay that way! 

[Chas.Alpha]

The thing is running up the Main Street of my old neighborhood as we speak. Moving way too slow with sustained winds of 155 mph. There will be massive destruction in SW Fla…

[Nevrknow]

11 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

The thing is running up the Main Street of my old neighborhood as we speak. Moving way too slow with sustained winds of 155 mph. There will be massive destruction in SW Fla…

Damn

[mprach024]

22 minutes ago, Chas.Alpha said:

The thing is running up the Main Street of my old neighborhood as we speak. Moving way too slow with sustained winds of 155 mph. There will be massive destruction in SW Fla…

I’ve been watching most of the day.  Lots of friends in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.  It’s looking quite bad, moving at 9mph, damage will be significant.  

[Chas.Alpha]

They have ranked this the 5th most powerful hurricane to make landfall in the US in recorded history. Ft. Myers beach is under water. My old house is currently in the eye, I hope my neighbors were smart enough to evacuate, but I know I probably wouldn't have. 😳

[SCgarman]

Is  Hamlet still living in Ft. Meyers, FL? If so hopefully he found safe ground somewhere