HAVANA, Cuba – About a month ago, Hurricane Irma devastated the central part of Cuba. It also impacted the small fishing village of Cojimar, east of Havana.
It was one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite places. The seaside allure that the author loved was also it's downfall in the wake of the hurricane's outer bands. The water damage is still visible throughout Juan Manuel Doncel's home.
"All of these homes had barriers, but the ocean ripped them out," Doncel said.
The government, he said, is working on building new ones. The powerful ocean took over his home during the storm and destroyed much on the way.
Doncel said the socialist government was selling items for lower prices. He said he bought two small mattresses, an electrical stove, a coffee maker and several pots and pans.
"It's something, but it is not enough," Doncel said.
Some have criticized the government for selling goods to storm ravaged victims instead of just giving it to them. Doncel said that in two decades, he had never seen a storm so destructive. And although the ocean remains a threat, he can't picture himself living anywhere else.
