The heavy rains that have fallen along the south-eastern Cuban region over the past two days are very beneficial, according to the National Institute for Water Resources. However, in the face of such intense natural activity, the local civil defense keeps activated as it has been announced by the Teleturquino TV channel and by comments posted from that eastern territory on social Internet networks.

The low pressure area in the Caribbean Sea, directly affecting that eastern region, is causing heavy rains that have increased water levels in reservoirs in the municipalities of Palma Soriano, Sigua, Hatibonico, and Guantánamo, with registered rainfall estimates of 287, 240 and 206 mm respectively. The increase of reservoirs levels is particularly significant bearing in mind the current drought hitting the island.

On Wednesday morning, Cuban radio reported the occurrence of heavy rains in the eastern region, and according to reports by the Weather Institute the showers will keep coming as a result of the low pressure area. In this context a special advisory was issued for those territories.

In La Gran Piedra locality, also in the east, 151-mm rainfalls were reported, an estimate that has put the local population on alert. Meanwhile, the weather institute is announcing more rain for the coming hours in eastern and central Cuba, while scattered showers in the west, with the lowest water levels reported.

The rainy season in Cuba usually reaches peak in the month of June. A large part of rainwater accumulates are associated to rainfalls that may last even several days, particularly early in the month. But rainfall depends to a large extent on what is described as migratory systems in tropical zones, such as low pressure areas and on its interaction with system in medium latitudes.

As a consequence of the current low affecting the Caribbean, the rainfalls that hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic over the past 12 hours have resulted in 12 deaths, while more than 4 000 people were evacuated.

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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