Clara, and Cienfuegos were hardest hit, where 10,000 homes were destroyed and another 100,000 damaged. Severe damage was also reported to the sugar cane and in the tourist town of Varadero. In Havana, winds and rain destroyed 23 buildings, with many others damaged. Due to well-executed warnings and evacuations, only 5 people were killed in Cuba. The Category 4 hurricane caused US$1.8 billion in damage. The United States offered aid to the island, an act it had done in the past despite a political embargo. President Fidel Castro refused, believing his country would survive with enough resources for the reconstruction process. Florida Severe beach erosion due to increased swells over several days took place from Hollywood Beach to Hallandale Beach. At high tide on November 4, water topped the seawall, damaging it and nearby structures leaving $20,000 in damages. The cost to restore the beaches was estimated at $10 million. The highest winds in relation to the storm were recorded in Sombrero Key; sustained winds reached 49 mph (79 km/h) and gusts reached 60 mph (95 km/h). A storm surge of was recorded along the southeast coastline of Florida. Damages from the hurricane amounted to $50,000. Two tornadoes touched down in the state within the outer bands of the hurricane. The first formed as a waterspout and moved onshore near Bill Baggs Beach and destroyed two Chikee huts, costing $6,000, warranting F0 intensity, before dissipating. The second and stronger of the two tornadoes, rated F1, tracked for in Palm Beach County. Windows were blown out of vehicles and buildings, trees and signs were downed and a small area of sugar cane was leveled by the tornado. Damages from the tornado amounted to $10,000. A NOAA WP-3D Orion hurricane hunter aircraft was damaged during a mission into the storm. Bahamas Because Hurricane Michelle was weakened and moving rapidly as it moved through the Bahamas, no deaths or injuries were reported. The hurricane still retained some of its strength, and caused of rain in Nassau, while New Providence received a storm surge of 5–8 feet. Flooding was reported throughout the archipelago and high winds downed numerous trees, resulting in 200,000 power outages. A few homes sustained roof damage and the roof a shopping center in Nassau was blown into a nearby funeral home. The radio tower of the station MORE FM was snapped in half by high winds, resulting in a severe