More rains have once again tense the situation in several territories in eastern Cuba just two weeks after the devastating passage of the Hurricane Melissa.
The rainfall, associated with the cold front that arrived on the island this Monday, has so far caused flooding in the municipalities of Moa and Sagua de Tánamo, in Holguín, and has led to increased discharge from dams and reinforced hydrological surveillance in Granma.
With the terrain still saturated by the rains and flooding caused by Melissa, several communities and localities remain alert to the evolution of these rains, while the authorities warn to take precautions and not cross or approach the rivers in these areas.
In Moa until midnight this Tuesday there had been a fall of 116 millimeters, which forced “accelerated management” of the gates of the town’s diverter, “to unload water and avoid accidents in the hydraulic works and downstream,” according to journalist Yulieska Hernández.
This caused the Cabaña River to rise more than three meters above its channel and flooded the ECRIN neighborhood, so the authorities had to quickly evacuate a hundred people to a state protection center and other safe areas.
According to the communicator, the forecast is that the rains will continue and the risk of flooding will remain, which is why local residents are asked to comply with protection measures against this type of events.
In Sagua de Tánamo and Granma
For their part, in the Holguín municipality of Sagua de Tánamo, the authorities had to promptly notify the residents of the low-lying areas about the flooding of the Sagua River due to the prolonged rains in that territory, reported the journalist Yulianela Bárzaga.
As specified in a second postthe water levels had not been as high this time as in the flood caused by Melissa, but they managed to penetrate several homes, while some 2,500 residents “carried out self-evacuation, protecting their lives above all else.”
Although hours later the waters were receding, it was still raining at intervals and surveillance was maintained by the authorities, while discipline and caution was requested from the sagüeros.
Meanwhile, in Granma, several dams that were already relieving after the hurricane had to increase their discharge rate, including Corojo, Paso Malo and the Derivadora Yao.
Given this situation, the Defense Councils of several municipalities were alerted to take preventive measures and monitor the situation, according to reports from the provincial press. Among the territories in this situation are Yara, Manzanillo, Guisa and Bayamo.
Special attention is drawn to the municipality of Yara, where the waters from the mountainous areas flow and which is saturated by the scourge of Melissa. There, as a precaution, about 50 residents of the community of Los Rivero were evacuated, as Yudelkis Ortiz explainedpresident of the Provincial Defense Council.
However, according to the authorities and official media, until now there was no danger of flooding in that territory, although the hydrological scenario was being monitored to take any necessary measures.
