| Having the experience of being in Cuba during a | | | | 1944, the winds reached a peak of 162 mph in |
| hurricane is very impressive, and not particularly | | | | Havana City when a hurricane battered the capital for |
| dangerous. All the hotels have a modern structure or | | | | 14 hours, 7 hours of which the average of the winds |
| have been rebuilt to withstand the impact of the | | | | were 125 mph. Three hundred dead were reported. |
| strongest winds; such hotels have had more than | | | | In 1963 the heavy showers of Hurricane Flora |
| one chance to prove it. Cuba also has an | | | | reported water accumulations of 1800 mm in 72 |
| internationally known service of Civil Defense and a | | | | hours provoking the death of one thousand people. |
| Meteorology Institute of excellence; institutions that | | | | However, all these catastrophes belong to the past in |
| are part of the vigilance program for the formation | | | | Cuba. The plans of the Civil Defense foresee the |
| of tropical storms in the Caribbean area. | | | | protection in each phase, prioritizing the lives of the |
| Knowing the natural threats Cuba faces is always | | | | people. The Civil Defense has established four phases |
| very important. The main dangerous phenomena that | | | | during the passing of a hurricane. The directions |
| accompany a cyclone are the surge of the sea (a | | | | provided inform that the evacuation of people to |
| rapid rising of sea levels at the coastlines), the | | | | safe areas must be ended before the manifestations |
| hurricane winds (that go from 43 mph to 185 mph), | | | | of heavy rains, which can block roads, and the |
| the heavy showers (100mm to 300 mm of rain in | | | | manifestation of winds belonging to a tropical storm |
| few hours), the heavy swell (with waves of up to 30 | | | | (such winds are the first felt when a hurricane is |
| feet) and the tornadoes (brief local storms but | | | | passing through the national territory), not hurricane |
| extremely dangerous, responsible for the severe | | | | winds. Other factors are also taken into account to |
| damages provoked by the passing of a hurricane). | | | | guarantee the safety of the population, such as |
| The main structural components of a hurricane are | | | | making the evacuation during day hours if possible. |
| the center or eye, the center's wall, and the spiral | | | | Hotels and facilities located near the coastline or in |
| bands of rain that conform the system of a | | | | danger of being affected by the winds are |
| hurricane. The air moves from the center to the | | | | evacuated immediately to others with the same or |
| spirals, generally winding clockwise, and escapes from | | | | better comfort standards without additional cost for |
| the top, to heights of 3 to 6 miles. | | | | the tourists. Medical assistance and basic services are |
| In Cuba, the greatest natural catastrophe of its | | | | guaranteed as long as the evacuation lasts. For those |
| history is related to the storm tides or surge | | | | who have lived in Cuba, experiencing a hurricane has |
| associated with a hurricane that struck Santa Cruz | | | | been the greatest adventure they have had in the |
| del Sur, Camaguey, in 1932, literally sweeping the | | | | Caribbean. |
| town away and killing more than 3000 people. In | | | | |