Friday, October 12, 2007

Rain continues in Cuba's eastern provinces

Havana. October 12, 2007

Rain continues in Cuba's eastern provinces
• Reports that more than 200 millimeters have fallen in different
locations • Defense Councils are activated with the prospect of swollen
rivers and flooding

By Orfilio Peláez, —Granma daily staff writer—

THE presence of a widespread area of low pressure in the northeast
region of the Caribbean Sea, together with favorable conditions at
different levels within the atmosphere, is ensuring the increased
probability of showers, heavy rainfall and electrical storms in the
eastern region of Cuba throughout today and tonight.

According to Dr. José Rubiera, head of the Forecast Center at the
Meteorological Institute, this complex synoptic situation is typical for
the month of October and responds to what was previously called "a water
period," that is to say the occurrence of continuous rainfall for seven
to 10 days, what is occurring in the majority of provinces in eastern Cuba.

From Wednesday 10, he specified, the rain grew even heavier and reached
the category of "intense", with very notable accumulations reported over
a 24-hour period, such as the 306 millimeters registered in Vista
Alegre, Santiago de Cuba; 265 mm in Aserradero, Guantánamo; 234 mm in
Maisí; 210 mm in El Caney, Santiago de Cuba; 181 mm in Santa Cruz del
Sur, Camagüey, and 179 mm, in El Paraíso, Amancio Rodríguez
municipality, in Las Tunas.

According to correspondent Jorge Luis Merencio, yesterday the province
of Guantánamo remained cut off from Santiago de Cuba by road because of
the continuous rising levels of La Yaya reservoir, the largest in the
territory. Several points in Niceto Pérez municipality are also isolated.

The National News Agency (AIN) reported the evacuation of 390
inhabitants from the Río Cauto municipality in Granma, where flooding
has affected more than 1,000 homes in low-lying areas. It has also been
reported that territories linking Holguín and Las Tunas are presenting a
more complex situation.

Pastor Batista, correspondent for this daily in Las Tunas, has reported
that because of the continual heavy rain, municipal defense councils
have been activated and the transfer of residents to safer homes and
facilities is underway in several areas of the province.

Las Tunas reported that the region received 117% of the normal rainfall
for October in the first 10 days of the month alone. Twenty of the 30
reservoirs controlled by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources
were almost full yesterday.

Reports received at the Forecast Center of the Meteorological Institute
detail that the Sagua de Tánamo and Mayarí Rivers in Holguín have burst
their banks. Correspondent Alexis Rojas reported that last night the
number of evacuees exceeded 2,200.

In every one of the territories affected by the intense rain, the
necessary preventative measures have been adopted in order to save human
lives, economic resources, equipment and facilities.

http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2007/octubre/vier12/Rain-continues-in-Cubas-eastern-provinces.html

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