HAVANA, Sept 13 (AFP) - Cuban President Fidel Castro said Monday the island had been spared the brunt of Hurricane Ivan`s deadly strength, even as flood waters hit the western tip of the country.
As the powerful storm inflicted its first damages on Cuba, Castro said the island had nonetheless been spared the worst of Ivan`s fury. "Ivan has had a friendly attitude," the communist leader said.
He said the shift in the hurricane`s tack will help Cuba "avoid damage and expenses that otherwise would have been incurred."
But the sea, whipped up by hurricane force winds, still flooded western portions of the island, which remain the most affected by the monster category five storm.
The most affected were the fishing towns of La Coloma and Cortes, which found themselves under water as a result of the storm surge.
The populations of both towns had been evacuated.
A power outage was reported on the Isle of Youth.
The Cuban weather service predicted torrential rain and strong winds for Havana, the capital.
Castro promised that rescue and recovery efforts would be rapid and efficient.
But he reiterated his refusal to accept aid from the United States and other countries that maintain sanctions against Cuba.
"We will not accept assistance from anyone who has adopted anti-Cuban measures," he said, adding that offer of aid from such countries were "hypocritical."