In response to the declaration of an Information Phase by the National Civil Defense Headquarters this past Saturday, due to intense rainfall, the eastern Cuban provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas have initiated precautionary measures. These steps aim to prevent a repeat of the damage caused by Hurricane Oscar. Various provinces have activated their Defense Councils to mitigate the impacts of these weather conditions.
Granma's Strategic Response
In Granma, Yanetsy Terry Gutiérrez, vice president of the Provincial Defense Council, emphasized the necessity of direct communication with residents amidst ongoing power outages in the eastern region, according to the state-run newspaper La Demajagua. She acknowledged that, given the current energy crisis, "traditional media channels may not reach everyone, making it crucial to utilize all alternative methods." This strategy seeks to prevent individuals from being uninformed and thus exposed to danger, as happened in Guantánamo during Hurricane Oscar, when some were unaware of its proximity and evacuation plans.
Holguín Prepares for Evacuations
In Holguín, with imminent rains and already saturated ground, evacuation plans are being activated to relocate residents to safer areas. These efforts primarily focus on those living in flood-prone regions, such as areas near riverbanks and water reservoirs. Radio Angulo, a state broadcaster, reported that the Provincial Defense Council highlighted the importance of communication, rapid evacuations, and ensuring food and material resource protection, especially near the Moa dam and in monitoring the weather phenomenon.
Santiago de Cuba's Medical and Safety Measures
Santiago de Cuba is ensuring that medical brigades are present in hard-to-reach locations and is transferring kidney patients and expectant mothers to appropriate healthcare facilities. According to the Sierra Maestra news site, efforts are underway across nine municipalities to safeguard both the population and the 30 communities downstream from reservoirs, where rescue and salvage teams have been deployed. The acceleration of agricultural product harvesting and distribution of family staples in stores, along with the evacuation of campers and relocation of tourists to secure places, are part of the measures. Fuel is also being distributed for emergency generators to supply power to essential services during outages.
Guantánamo's Evacuation Efforts
Guantánamo, severely impacted by Hurricane Oscar, began a mass evacuation of residents from San Antonio del Sur to the city of Guantánamo on Saturday, in anticipation of heavy rains and potential river flooding. Civil Defense warned of a significant flood risk in the area, as rainfall could swiftly raise river levels, echoing events from two weeks ago during Hurricane Oscar, which resulted in eight fatalities and two missing persons.
The Forecast Center of the Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) issued an alert on Sunday about a trough in the lower troposphere over the Dominican Republic, leading to showers and thunderstorms in eastern Cuba. A Facebook post from the Forecast Center noted that Guantánamo experienced significant rainfall, with 57.8 millimeters in Jamal and 63.7 millimeters in Palenque de Yateras.
Additionally, INSMET reported an area of low pressure with heavy cloud cover and thunderstorms in the southern Caribbean Sea, which, although currently disorganized, has a high probability of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.