Havana flooded and 5,000 tourists evacuated from coast as Irma hits Cuba

[SecularMotion]

Source: The Guardian

Hurricane Irma ripped roofs off houses and flooded hundreds of kilometres of coastline as it raked Cuba’s northern coast after devastating islands the length of the Caribbean.

As Irma left Cuba late on Saturday and directed its 195kmh winds towards Florida, authorities on the island were assessing the damage. They warned of staggering damage to keys off the northern coast studded with all-inclusive resorts and cities, as well as farmland in central Cuba.

There were no immediate reports of deaths in Cuba – a country that prides itself on its disaster preparedness – but authorities were trying to restore power, clear roads and warning that people should stay off the streets of Havana because flooding could continue into Monday.

Residents of “the capital should know that the flooding is going to last more than 36 hours, in other words, it is going to persist,” Colonel Luis Angel Macareno said late on Saturday, adding that the waters had reached about 600 meters into Havana.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/10/havana-flooded-and-5000-tourists-evacuated-from-coast-as-irma-hits-cuba

[DFW]

1. I hope they can preserve and/or restore the old town

After so many centuries, it is a historic site that is a living window to the past.
I'm sure a few other DUers have been there to confirm this. It's not exactly spectacular, but rather "wow, so this is what it must have been like!"

[DinahMoeHum]

2. A sight along the Malecon. . .

It's also on the front page of the New York Times this morning.

[FLPanhandle]

3. Cuba got lucky the NE quadrant of the eyewall stayed offshore

They didn't get the full force of Irma.

Alas, the Florida Keys and Florida peninsula aren't going be so lucky.

[janterry]

4. I still worry about the panhandle

not just the storm surge, but all of those trees (and all of those one story homes.........). Hermine was difficult enough - this could be worse.

[FLPanhandle]

5. Yes eastern panhandle and the big bend area is a concern

The Gulf is shallow there and the land is low. The surge could be devastating. Anything east of Apalachicola is a concern

[Dustlawyer]

6. Tiny Eastpoint, Fl., across the bay from Apalachicola is low and marshy.

While they have St. George Island as a barrier, the water will fill up the bay and over-run this tiny fishing village of 2,500. BP wiped them out, killing all of their oysters that the town relied upon for 90% of it's income and now this. Gov. Scott had to put the whole town on welfare and re-training while BP screwed them.

Hang in there Eastpoint!

[Sunlei]

7. here's the live NOAA radar. You're right-the center spins with eye right on the keys.

winds must be about 100mph? and fierce rain.

click 'refresh' button for current update
https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?product=N0Z&rid=byx&loop=yes