[NYTr] East Cuba Slowly Returning to Normal after Noel Floods

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

East Cuba Slowly Returning to Normal

Havana , Nov 9 (Prensa Latina) The eastern Cuban provinces are
gradually returning to normality after flooding associated to Tropical
Storm Noel, which evacuated over 80,000 people and left one dead.

Authorities from the Granma province, the most affected territory,
decided to return evacuees to their homes if weather conditions are
stable.

Over 29,000 people were evacuated in houses of relatives and neighbors,
in addition to shelters created for this purpose in Granma and the
neighboring province of Las Tunas, "Buenos Dias" TV news program
reported.

Among them, about 25,000 people were from Rio Cauto municipality, over
435 miles east of Havana, faced with flooding in the island's largest
valley.

Nearly $305 million were lost in the agricultural and forest sector,
$91 million from products in the countryside and $78 million to get
plantations back.

The country assessed losses at $128 million in 21,987 damaged houses,
1,137 totally collapsed, as well as other damage to roads,
telecommunication and power service.

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PL-5