86,000 homes damaged or destroyed in Cuba

[malaise]

Gustav gained strength before it hit Cuba as a powerful category four hurricane.

It made a direct hit on the Isla de la Juventud, south of the Cuban mainland, on Saturday, with winds reaching 220kph.

As the storm marched across Cuba's western tip, it damaged or destroyed 86,000 homes.

Gusts reached 340kph in the western town of Paso Real del San Diego — a new wind speed record for a country often hit by major hurricanes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/01/hurricanegustav.naturaldisasters2

[Breeze54]

1. Gustav hits Jamaica; Haiti says 51 dead

Gustav hits Jamaica; Haiti says 51 dead

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/08/28/gustav/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) --

Tropical Storm Gustav struck Jamaica with pounding rain and winds just short of hurricane strength
Thursday night, and Haitian officials raised their death toll from the storm to more than 50.

snip-->

Gustav hit Haiti as a hurricane Tuesday. On Thursday, Haiti raised its death toll from 14 to 51, said Pierre Louis Pinchinat, deputy director of the civil defense directorate.

In the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, authorities said a mudslide triggered by heavy rain killed eight people in Santo Domingo early Wednesday.

iReport.com: Storm takes young lives in Santo Domingo http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/08/28/gustav/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo

Pinchinat said that about 6,500 people in Haiti were living in shelters as of Wednesday, though some had returned to their homes Thursday.

Video Watch flooded streets and damage in Haiti » http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/weather/08/28/gustav/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo

Gustav lost strength in the Hispaniola strike, falling back to tropical-storm status, but the hurricane center predicted that Gustav would regain strength, cross Jamaica and become a hurricane again Friday.

The storm is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches over southern Cuba and 6 to 12 inches over Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches possible, forecasters said. The heavy rain could trigger flash floods and additional mudslides.

more....

[malaise]

3. We had very heavy rain in Jamaica

So far there are 11 deaths and over 150 homes destroyed. Many places are still under water and a major bridge connecting Eastern parishes to Kingston was destroyed.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=41888712

[Breeze54]

4. Is your home OK? Are there rescuers out there helping?

I'm so sorry, malaise. :hug: :(

[malaise]

7. If you look outside our home you might ask if there was a storm

We're the lucky ones.
They started building a Bailey bridge yesterday. The bottom line is that most of our infrastructure has been neglected for years. This is the era of shock doctrine and shock therapy. The Harbour View Bridge has been neglected for over two decades. There are may other bridges in need of repair.

http://www.chat-bout.net/content/view/750/2/

In June 1986, the Harbour View bridge was undermined by the surging waters from the Hope River, during flood rains that lashed the island. A Bailey bridge was used to get across, and river training was said to be in progress. For some residents of communities near to Harbour View, the collapse of the bridge was pending.

In 1993, one letter writer to The Gleaner said, "Recently, I have been noticing that the bridge at Harbour View has been deteriorating and it is our only means of conducting both social and personal business. Very soon, the bridge may break in two."

[Solly Mack]

2. :(

[madokie]

5. I worry for the people who live in the path of these things

Its a shame we don't have representative government here in America where we could give aid and comfort.
:grouphug:

[Selatius]

6. One thing is for sure. The 50 year embargo will mean nothing gets to Cuba aid wise. nt

[madokie]

9. I guess If I had to make a decision as to what I'd want our next President to do

It would be to lift all sanctions and apologize to the Cuban people with open arms and a hello neighbor :hi:.
buts thats just me

[Selatius]

11. Has Obama said he'd remove the sanctions? I don't recall him ever addressing that point. nt

[malaise]

8. There are no representative governments these days

There are alliances between political elites, corporations and their private security. The people are no longer part of the equation. Politicians and corporations get rich and people slide deeper into poverty.

reword.

[madokie]

10. And that is why we have to elect Obama/Biden

They are our last hope. If'n of course we have a last good hope that is.

We gonna win this one and it will because of people like us here, miles and miles apart but joining hands in this retaking of our government by We the people. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the leaders that we need right now because they feel the same as we do, they want their country back too.

May Peace be with you and I hope you find some moments of happiness in all this turmul.

[malaise]

12. Thanks

:D

[amuse bouche]

13. The Cuban people can never catch a break