Browse > Home / Current / Cuba - Defying Disaster

Cuba - Defying Disaster

September 12, 2008

When it comes to preventing disasters on a large scale, Cuba is a leading model for Latin America. Experts and relief aid organisations agree that Cuba’s low death toll from the recent hurricanes, which wreaked destruction across the Caribbean, is a result of the government’s strategies for prevention, mitigation, response and reconstruction.

The almost relay-style hurricane race of storms across the Caribbean didn’t exactly bring good cheer to the region, but there is a lesson to be learnt from all the havoc: good preparation in advance results in fewer casualties. And Cuba earns the title of prevention champion.

Hurricane Gustav
While Hurricane Gustav claimed the lives of hundreds of victims in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Barbuda, Cuba only suffered material damage. Admittedly, the hurricane lashed Cuba with less force. But, according to Elio Rujian from the World Food Programme, the United Nations food aid agency, the difference in the strength of the hurricanes alone doesn’t explain the huge difference in casualty figures:

“The Cuban model sets an example for all of Latin America. The fact that Hurricane Gustav didn’t kill anyone can be attributed to the whole preparations system.”

Hurricane Ike, which followed Gustav, claimed the lives of four people in Cuba. Four too many on the one hand, but in Haiti, sixty people were killed by Ike. The secret of the Cubans is simple - they evacuate on time, says Manuel Rodriguez, sent to Cuba on behalf of the International Red Cross:

“The prevention strategy works exceedingly well in Cuba. In Cuba alone, we managed to evacuate 1.2 million people from high-risk areas.” That doesn’t mean that there’s no damage, but it does mean fewer deaths.”Quick response time.

Most likely, the Communist regime in Cuba has a great deal to do with its ability to evacuate its people fast in the face of disaster. A tight and hierarchical organisation facilitates quick response time. One thing the Cuban model shows - you don’t need to be a wealthy nation to prevent disasters, which seems to break the rule of thumb. Francisco Rey Marcos, director of the Madrid Institute for Studies of Conflicts and Humanitarian Action explains:

“Generally speaking, disasters of this kind tend to claim more lives in poor countries than in rich ones, because poorer countries don’t have the financial means to put proper preparations in place, Countries that spend more on prevention feel less impact from natural disasters. But this proves that if prevention is to work, it has to be part of a centralised policy. It’s not merely a question of rich or poor countries. It’s regrettable that many countries and their politicians only think short-term and limit themselves to receiving humanitarian aid when disaster strikes. They don’t invest in risk reduction by being prepared which ultimately prevents disaster.”

And in that respect, we can learn a lot from Cuba.

Source: Radio Netherlands | By Edwin Koopman RNW translation (jn)

Written by alice · Filed Under Current 

Comments

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Search blog stories: