Cuba is making progress today in plans to restore the territories affected by Hurricane Ian, which caused severe damage to housing, agriculture and electricity services in the country.

According to the Cuban head of state, Miguel Díaz-Canel, «there is still much to be done for life to return to normal in Pinar del Río and part of Artemisa, but recovery is unstoppable and everything will have to be better».

During a meeting held the day before to evaluate the situation in the territories affected in the west by the meteor, the president said that the focus of all actions must be the attention to people, families and communities, according to the Cuban Presidency on its website.

He also stressed the importance of direct contact between local leaders with the population and urged to speed up the distribution of resources for the victims.

Díaz-Canel stressed the need to maintain and increase the points of sale of processed food, with the incorporation of workplaces that have kitchens.

He also called for the continuation of tree pruning and sanitation works in all provinces, since the hurricane season has not yet ended (until November 30).

On the other hand, the Minister of Domestic Trade Betsy Díaz announced on the television program Mesa Redonda that the territories hit by the hurricane will receive food modules for all consumers as of October 6.

Ian crossed the province of Pinar del Río last September 27, from the south, with category three on the Saffir-Simpson scale (out of five), and caused severe damage in several municipalities, and in neighboring Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud.

Pinar del Río, the hardest hit province, has so far recorded 63,133 homes affected, 7,107 total landslides, while 15.6 percent of electricity service has been restored.