Hurricane Ian passes through Cuba causing flooding, destroying homes

Hurricane Ian made landfall early Tuesday morning in Cuba’s tobacco-rich Pinar del Rio province.

The Category 3 storm — with winds of up to 125 mph and up to 14 feet of storm surge — started to flood the coastal village of Coloma at about 4:30 a.m.

A man picks up debris at a farm that grows tobacco after Hurricane Ian destroyed structures and caused flooding on Tuesday in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province. (AP Foto/Ramon Espinosa) (Ramon Espinosa/)

Government-owned media reported the residents of Pinar del Rio were without power and some coastal areas were evacuated. There was massive flooding in areas of Pinar del Rio and Artemisa

Jesus Pino Aleman, 99, was among the Cubans who were in waist-deep water inside their homes. The wind also tore roofs off and wooden walls, destroyed farms, and uprooted trees.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the hurricane was moving out of Cuba and into the Gulf of Mexico to strengthen into a Category 4. The storm’s winds and heavy downpours did not affect Havana.

Interactive map

Related social media

Tuesday’s satellite image

Hurricane Ian over Cuba as a Category 3 storm.Read More