Damages Reported in Central Cuba Due to Heavy Rains

Approximately 100 homes were damaged in the Cuban municipalities of Sagua la Grande and Cifuentes, as a result of the heavy rains reported today in the central province of Villa Clara.

According to preliminary reports from the Provincial Defense Council, more than 200 people have been affected so far in both municipalities, particularly in the town of Sitiecito, where there are swollen rivers and interrupted roads.

According to Amaury Machado, a specialist at the Provincial Meteorological Center, "the rains are associated with the influence of a trough oscillating over the central part of the country," a situation expected to persist for the rest of the day.

By 8:00 local time alone, rain gauges from the Institute of Water Resources in Villa Clara recorded 156 millimeters (mm) in Sitiecito, 91.8 mm in the Alacranes reservoir, and 54 mm at the Sagua la Grande weather station, values indicating locally intense rainfall.

Milaxy Sánchez, Governor of Villa Clara, stated that all necessary measures are being taken to protect families, as well as personal property and state institutions.

Civil Defense groups and the Integrated Emergency Medical System have been activated to confront the impact of the rains in a region where river flooding as intense as the current situation had not been reported since 2017.