(28 Sep 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Havana, Cuba 28 September 2022
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of dark city, hotels and some street lighting with generators
HEADLINE: Havana residents face blackouts after hurricane
ANNOTATION: Cuba experienced a nationwide blackout after Hurricane Ian lashed through the island. Authorities say the grid has been partially restored.
2. Pedestrians on dark street
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Yaina Gonzalez, resident:
"It is not easy this blackout because one has food for small children, and with this heat, it is not easy."
4. Various of people sitting on sidewalk next to electric generator
ANNOTATION: Power has been restored in some affected regions, but Havana and western Cuba were still without electricity on Wednesday morning.
++DAY SHOTS++
6. Police on the street
7. Various of residents looking at waves on Malecon waterfront
ANNOTATION: Cuba has been struggling with an economic crisis and has faced frequent power outages in recent months.
8. Various of strong waves, sea
ANNOTATION: Ian made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island's western end.
9. Man cleaning culvert
10. Strong waves
ANNOTATION: Tens of thousands of people were evacuated and others fled ahead of the arrival of Ian, which caused flooding, damaged houses and toppled trees.
ANNOTATION: Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it neared Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph).
STORYLINE:
Cuban officials said they had begun to restore some power Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out electricity to the entire island while devastating some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.
The Energy and Mines Ministry announced it had restored energy to three regions by activating two large power plants in Felton and Nuevitas and was working to get others back online.
But the capital, Havana, and other parts of western Cuba remained without power on Wednesday in the wake of the major hurricane, which had advanced northward to Florida.
On Tuesday, Ian hit a Cuba that has been struggling with an economic crisis and has faced frequent power outages in recent months.
It made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island's western end, devastating Pinar del Ro province, where much of the tobacco used for Cuba's iconic cigars is grown.
Tens of thousands of people were evacuated and others fled the area ahead of the arrival of Ian, which caused flooding, damaged houses and toppled trees.
Authorities were still assessing the damage, although no fatalities had been reported.
Ian's winds also damaged one of Cuba's most prestigious tobacco farms, Finca Robaina.
Officials had set up 55 shelters and took steps to protect crops, especially tobacco.
Local government station TelePinar reported heavy damage at the main hospital in Pinar del Rio city, tweeting photos of collapsed ceilings and downed trees. No deaths were reported.

Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it neared landfall along Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status.

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