HAVANA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- The western region of Cuba has begun operations to recover from the serious damage caused by Hurricane Michael to homes, electric grids and crops, said local authorities on Tuesday.
Authorities in most seriously impacted provinces, Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud, said no deaths have been reported so far.
More than 400 locals were evacuated in the far west of Pinar del Rio, 80 of whom remain in shelters specially set up for the passing of the hurricane on Monday.
The hurricane lashed the island's west end with winds of up to 171 kilometers per hour and heavy rains.
Downpours continued across the western provinces early Tuesday morning, including in the capital, Havana.
The National Electric Union has reported that the service in Pinar del Rio and Isla de la Juventud has been badly affected, with between 70 and 90 percent of the population still lacking power.
The majority of the damage to homes was confined to roofs, while farmers are reporting tobacco farming losses.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and government officials have already liaised with authorities in every affected region to push ahead with damage control measures.
Hurricane Michael moved away from Cuba on Monday night and is now heading towards Florida of the United States, through the Gulf of Mexico, at a speed of around 19 kilometers per hour.
Authorities expect that Michael will continue to gain strenth and turn into a Category 2 or 3 hurricane before hitting the northwest Florida peninsula on Wednesday morning.
