The Cuban Meteorology Institute announced on Wednesday afternoon that the rains accompanying Hurricane Paula are very close to Cape San Antonio in western Pinar del Río province, while Defense Councils and the mass media (Radio and TV) from Pinar del Rio to Matanzas have activated their working groups, in view of the forecast of heavy and locally intense rains for the area.

In its weather report of Wednesday noon, the Institute warned about a gradual increase of winds especially in the north coast of Pinar Del Rio, which can be of hurricane force as of Thursday morning. Likewise, heavy swells in the north coast will increase with a good chance for coastal flooding, which could begin on the south coast of the western territory on Wednesday evening. On Wednesday morning, Hurricane Paula registered no major changes in terms of its intensity and maintains maximum sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour with greater gusts and a minimum pressure that has risen to 984 hPa, so it continues to be a category two hurricane, according to the Saffir-Simpson scale of a maximum of five.

At noon Wednesday, the eye of Hurricane Paula was estimated at latitude 21.4 degrees north and longitude 85.8 degrees west, a position that places it at about 100 miles west-southwest of Cape San Antonio, Pinar del Río.

The hurricane is moving north-northeast at a speed of 13 kilometers per hour.

It has been predicted that within the next 12 to 24 hours this hurricane will move towards the east with a decrease in speed, losing part of its intensity beginning Wednesday evening.

Pinar del Rio and Isle of Youth in Hurricane Watch

The General Staff of the National Civil Defense issued its weather report number two on Hurricane Paula, corresponding to 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, in which it declared the hurricane watch stage for Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth.

The report, made public on Wednesday afternoon, reads:

Taking into account the information received from the Forecast Center of the Meteorology Institute on the characteristics and future movement of Hurricane Paula, it was decided to declare the hurricane watch stage for Pinar del Rio province and the Isle of Youth special municipality, and establish the information stage for the provinces of La Habana, Ciudad de la Habana, Matanzas and Villa Clara.

Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth special municipality should follow measures in a rational way, in order to protect the population and exposed economic resources, in correspondence with plans approved and the assessment of risks.

The territories now on information stage should increase their hydro- meteorological vigilance in mountainous regions, low-lying areas near rivers, streams, reservoirs and coastal settlements, and evaluate the measures to be gradually adopted, in a timely and rational way, anticipating an increase in rains that could be locally intense.

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