The unprecedented floods caused by the heavy rains that mainly affect the eastern and central provinces of Cuba have created a desolate panorama. The most affected are Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas and Santiago de Cuba.
When the damage is still being quantified and the soils are saturated, the Institute of Meteorology (Insmet) indicates that this Saturday the probability of rain will be higher in the central region, which will become strong and locally intense.
The damages
More than 10,000 houses are reported with some type of condition in the Granma province, including flooded, 65 total collapses and 214 partial ones. In addition, there is damage to some 17 masonry works, including bridges and culverts on roads of national interest in the municipalities of Cauto Cristo, Jiguaní, Bayamo, Manzanillo, Campechuela, Media Luna, Pilón, Bartolomé Masó and Guisa.
In the Jiguaní municipality, the overflow of the homonymous river, considered unprecedented, caused the death of a 60-year-old man by drowning. There was severe material damage to homes and the household goods of the families. Local residents say that the current had never exceeded the bridge, not even during Hurricane Flora.
#Cyclonic Season2023 The meteorological situation in the East of the country is complex.
In Las Tunas, alternatives are sought to minimize flooding pic.twitter.com/sgYI0qVGXu—Cuban Civil Defense (@CubaCivil) June 10, 2023
Landslides and river floods left several communities incommunicado in Santiago de Cuba, reports the newspaper Sierra Maestrawhich locates the biggest problems in the municipalities of Guamá, Contramaestre, Tercer Frente and Palma Soriano.
Several reports from Las Tunas show a similar situation. The overflow of the Tana river in the municipality of Colombia, as it had not done since 1993, forced the evacuation of several families residing on its banks, as well as the protection of state buildings located in its vicinity.
In Camagüey, the rains at the end of May and at the beginning of the current month have caused considerable soil saturation, mainly in the municipalities of Camagüey, Florida, Vertientes, Minas and Guáimaro.
Miguel Díaz-Canel called for extreme care in the face of the difficult weather situation, while ensuring that the local authorities, together with the Civil Defense, the Ministry of the Interior and the Revolutionary Armed Forces are deploying all measures.
The Insmet explains that June is the second month of the rainy season in Cuba and that it is, on average, the rainiest of the year.
More floods and landslides due to rains in various areas of eastern Cuba
A considerable part of the accumulated precipitation is produced associated with rainy events lasting several days, which occur mainly during almost the entire month.
Precipitations, specifies the Insmet, depend on the influence of the migratory systems of the tropical zone, such as waves and tropical lows, and on their important interaction with mid-latitude systems.
