HAVANA, CMC:
THE HAVOC wreaked by Hurricane Charley in its passage through Cuba left the country coping with over US$1 billion in economic losses, local authorities have said.
Assessing damages in a televised appearance, Cuban Communist Party First Secretary in Havana, Pedro Saez, also said the response by residents in the country's western region has been the most decisive factor in the 11-day recovery period.
Political and government leaders said the storm caused serious damage to electricity, water, and telephone services, and also to farms and homes during its passage earlier this month.
Sixty sport centres, 798 schools, 312 health centres, and 63 cultural centres in the two provinces were badly damaged by the hurricane, in addition to 31,000 houses affected, of which 469 were destroyed.
Cuban Communist Party First Secretary in Havana Province Ivan Ordaz reported 12,690 evacuees in the area, where some 3,127 economic facilities and 41,236 houses were damaged.
Of over 8,150 affected businesses, they have recovered over 6,000, while 48 per cent of locals have had electricity restored.
