2.3 Tropical Cyclones - Case Study: Hurricane Sandy in Cuba (Paper 1) Flashcards
<p>When did Hurricane Sandy occur?</p>
<p>Hurricane Sandy occurred in October 2012</p>
<p>What were the <strong>Social Impacts </strong>of <strong>Hurricane Sandy</strong> on <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>There was no electricity or freshwater</li>
<li>11 people were killed</li>
<li>Around 17,000 homes were destroyed and 226,000 homes were damaged</li>
<li>More than 55,000 people were evacuated due to the storm surge</li>
</ul>
<p>What were the <strong>economicalimpacts</strong> of <strong>Hurricane Sandy</strong> on <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>The total losses in the Santiago de Cuba area came to £50 million</li>
<li>Roads to the airport were blocked, so no tourists could arrive or leave the island, creating a loss in revenue</li>
<li>Total losses of US$2 billion</li>
<li>A five per cent drop in Cuba's GDP</li>
</ul>
<p>What were the <strong>environmental impacts</strong> of <strong>Hurricane Sandy </strong>on <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>Around 2,600 hectares of banana crops were destroyed</li>
<li>In Santiago de Cuba trees were uprooted and stripped of their leaves</li>
<li>Coffee plantations in mountainous regions were swept away</li>
<li>Areas close to the coast were flooded, with beaches being swept away, destroying wildlife habitats</li>
</ul>
<p>Whatwere the <strong>individual responses </strong>to <strong>Hurricane Sandy</strong> in <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>Many people moved in with relatives or friends; others took shelter in state workers' holiday homes where basic food was provided</li>
<li>They used materials provided by the government and other organisations to rebuild their own homes</li>
<li>The people of Cuba have no home insurance</li>
</ul>
<p>Whatwere the <strong>Organisation responses</strong> to <strong>Hurricane Sandy</strong> in <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>The UN provided US$5.5 million to Cuba from the CERF and US$1.5 million in emergency funds</li>
<li>Venezuela sent 650 tonnes of aid, including non-perishable food, portable water and heavy machinery</li>
<li>In the seven months following the hurricane, the Cuban Red Cross delivered support with the help of the Norwegian, Spanishand German Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The relief aid went to approximately 25,000 families and included roofing materials, mattresses, clean drinking water, and hygiene and kitchen kits</li>
<li>The World Food Programme responded immediately with US$1 million to assist the 788,000 people in the worst affected areas of Cuba with a one-month food ration from December 2012 to February 2013</li>
</ul>
<p>What were the <strong>Government responses</strong> to <strong>Hurricane Sandy</strong> in <strong>Cuba</strong>?</p>
<ul>
<li>The government sent teams of electricians from all over the island to Santiago province within hours of the hurricane hitting</li>
<li>The government announced a 450 per cent cut for construction materials and interest-free loans to repair damage. The aid will be means-tested and more subsidies will be available for the poorest or hardest hit</li>
<li>The government madebuilding materials available to residents, including corrugated iron sheets, metal rods and cement</li>
<li>Local government officials compiled data from families about the damage they had suffered so that the government could send the appropriate help</li>
<li>Military teams were mobilised quickly to clear the streets of rubble and an estimated 6.5 million m3of felled trees</li>
</ul>
