Major tornado in Havana

[RJB]

Just saw this on the news and it looks very bad.  Major damage to a lot of buildings.  Anyone on the ground now to report?  

[Go-Bucks!]

I just read an AP report that it was the strongest tornado there in 80 yrs! Definitely an F3, but some think it was stronger. 3 dead, 25 injured, 12 of them critically.  Many homes collapsed because of their dilapidated state. They said most of the damage is in eastern Havana. 

[riffatsea]

Interesting to hear about a tornado in the Caribbean. We usually hear about hurricanes but I've never heard of a tornado there before this one!

Sorry to hear about the damage and the injuries/deaths!!

[ORV]

What is odd there seems to have been nothing about this on the national news outlets. At least the ones I watch. 

[DOJO466]

6 minutes ago, ORV said:

What is odd there seems to have been nothing about this on the national news outlets. At least the ones I watch. 

I too find it odd. I found out about it from Jim's cousin from Scotland who is married to a Cuban from Havana. We are supposed to be there on April 1st.

 

6 minutes ago, ORV said:

What is odd there seems to have been nothing about this on the national news outlets. At least the ones I watch. 

 

[RJB]

49 minutes ago, ORV said:

What is odd there seems to have been nothing about this on the national news outlets. At least the ones I watch. 

Google it.  There are videos on all the major news outlets.    Looks very bad in certain sections of Havana. These look mostly like homemade videos. Could it be that are not letting the news people in.  Would hope not as we could be sending aid to he island which it looks like they need badly.  Need to get the news out.   

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, RJB said:

.  Would hope not as we could be sending aid to he island which it looks like they need badly.  Need to get the news out.   

I doubt the USA will be sending aid  as it would be against the trade embargo

Hopefully other Countries will help

[LHT28]

BBC  has some photos  looks bad

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-47025852

[KS&JW]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/01/28/deadly-tornado-plowed-through-havana-sunday-night-heres-how-it-happened/?utm_term=.cb3d0579b035

 

[RJB]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

I doubt the USA will be sending aid  as it would be against the trade embargo

Hopefully other Countries will help

I agree with  the embargo, but this is different.   People need help and we are in the best position  to send that help.  The hell with the embargo.  It can be suspended for a month or two while we do something good for people in need.  Hope our government can see the need for this kind of aid.

[RJB]

Maybe it is just me going soft in my old age, but we spent 2 whole days in Havana and to other days in Cuba in Oct. and were impressed with the wonderful people we met. People that have very little but do not complain much.  We should be among the first to rush to send any aid we can.  Hope others see it this way.  NO POLITICS. 

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, RJB said:

I agree with  the embargo, but this is different.   People need help and we are in the best position  to send that help.  The hell with the embargo.  It can be suspended for a month or two while we do something good for people in need.  Hope our government can see the need for this kind of aid.

 

We - the "regular" USA - couldn't even get supplies to PUERTO RICO (where there are USA citizens), due to the Jones Act, until it was *briefly* lifted.
Sheesh.

 

GC

[riffatsea]

The tornado was confined to a neighborhood on the east side of Havana called Regla.

It was bad in that area but not in the rest of the city.

This information came from people on the ground there.

[RJB]

2 hours ago, riffatsea said:

The tornado was confined to a neighborhood on the east side of Havana called Regla.

It was bad in that area but not in the rest of the city.

This information came from people on the ground there.

From what I am reading it  covers a lot more of the city than one area.  Pictures that I am seeing are pretty bad.  

[riffatsea]

My info came from the Cuba board on Trip Advisor where some folks have friends/family on the ground describing the situation. It is certainly possible that other nearby areas were also damaged but remember this is a tornado and not a hurricane. Tornados can hit one area and not another unlike a hurricane which hits large areas.

[Paulchili]

1 minute ago, riffatsea said:

My info came from the Cuba board on Trip Advisor where some folks have friends/family on the ground describing the situation. It is certainly possible that other nearby areas were also damaged but remember this is a tornado and not a hurricane. Tornados can hit one area and not another unlike a hurricane which hits large areas.

Do you know if the “downtown” area was hit as well?

Many of the historical buildings and reconstruction efforts are in that area.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Paulchili

[riffatsea]

They all said that only the eastern part of the city was involved. That is where the Regla neighborhood is located. Here is a map:

https://goo.gl/maps/5a1Dpsqm6WF2

[WNcruiser]

We are on Riviera now and supposed to be in Havana Monday. So far have not heard about the stop being cancelled, although this Captain has hardly spoken a word since leaving Miami 8 days ago. 

[Paulchili]

44 minutes ago, WNcruiser said:

We are on Riviera now and supposed to be in Havana Monday. So far have not heard about the stop being cancelled, although this Captain has hardly spoken a word since leaving Miami 8 days ago. 

Please let us know what the city looks like.

TIA

[WNcruiser]

We had a fantastIc day in Havana today. As stated, all of the damage was isolated to the Regla area. None of the downtown area sustained any damage. I hope we can return again to spend more time downtown with its beautiful buildings and wonderful people. 

 

Steve 

[Paulchili]

21 minutes ago, WNcruiser said:

We had a fantastIc day in Havana today. As stated, all of the damage was isolated to the Regla area. None of the downtown area sustained any damage. I hope we can return again to spend more time downtown with its beautiful buildings and wonderful people. 

 

Steve 

Steve - thank you for the update. We'll be visiting Havana in Nov.

[Jancruz]

 Was in Havana Monday 2/4 everything was fine..went by the area where tornado was..couldnt see much damage..

Jancruz1

[Paulchili]

Thanks Jan for the update - sounds more encouraging.