Santa Cruz del Sur

Santa Cruz del Sur is a town and municipality in Cuba. It is located in Camagüey Province south of the provincial capital of Camagüey. It lies on the Caribbean coast.

Santa Cruz del Sur
Municipality
Coat of arms of Santa Cruz del Sur
Coat of arms
Santa Cruz del Sur municipality (red) within Camagüey Province (yellow) and Cuba
Santa Cruz del Sur municipality (red) within
Camagüey Province (yellow) and Cuba
Coordinates: 20°43′10″N 77°59′28″W
CountryCuba
ProvinceCamagüey
Established1871[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total1,122 km2 (433 sq mi)
Elevation
5 m (16 ft)
Population
 (2004)[3]
 • Total51,335
 • Density45.8/km2 (119/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
Area code+53-3232

Geography

The municipality is divided into the barrios of Buenaventura, Doce Leguas, El Junco, Gonzalo de Quesada, Guaicanamar, Guayabal, La Calzada, Playa Bonita, San Pedro and Yaguabo.[1]

History

The city has a special place in history due to its total destruction by the storm surge during the catastrophic hurricane of 1932 beginning late on November 8, 1932.[4] In a few hours, approximately at 10:00 am of November 9, the city disappeared under the sea, and more than 3,000 of its inhabitants drowned or were crushed by flying debris carried by winds in excess of 135 mph (215 km/h). Why a select number of survivors escaped the storm, and why the town was not evacuated prior to landfall, persist as questions. The hurricane was rumored to be destined for landfall far east of Santa Cruz, and when notification arrived about the town's peril, landfall was imminent. The last departing trains for evacuation failed to depart due to the storm surge. Fishermen of Santa Cruz were said to have predicted the event, apparently suspecting that "something wrong was brewing in the atmosphere." Survivors provided horrifying testimonies in the wake of a storm that literally drowned people in their homes.[5] Hurricane Paloma also made landfall there 76 years later on the same night in 2008 with 100 mph (160 km/h) winds.

Demographics

In 2004, the municipality of Santa Cruz del Sur had a population of 51,335.[3] With a total area of 1,122 km2 (433 sq mi),[2] it has a population density of 45.8/km2 (119/sq mi) In 2007 the town of Santa Cruz del Sur had 16,600 residents.

See also

References
  1. Guije.com. "Santa Cruz del Sur" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  2. Statoids. "Municipios of Cuba". Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  3. Atenas.cu (2004). "2004 Population trends, by Province and Municipality" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  4. (in Spanish) Testimonies of the disaster
  5. Junco, Pedro Armando (1989). La furia de los vientos. Camaguey: Editoria Acana. ISBN 9592671834.

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