Hurricane Rafael unleashed significant flooding in Alacranes, a town in Matanzas situated within the Union de Reyes municipality. Located at the southwestern tip of the province, nestled in the southern plains of Havana-Matanzas, this small town bore the brunt of the relentless downpours.
Reports from Radio Unión Matanzas indicate that residents of Libertad Street witnessed the floodwaters rising as early as 1:00 a.m. on Thursday. Alacranes is among the hardest-hit areas, alongside the communities of Las Cañas, Valladares, and El Estante.
Currently, seven out of the eleven designated evacuation centers in Union de Reyes remain operational to safeguard individuals and families whose homes are vulnerable to the fierce winds and torrential rains. The local meteorological station recorded a staggering 190 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours in this region, which is equipped with 18 micro-dams.
Impact on Local Population
The strongest wind gust reached 64 km/h, recorded at 3:05 p.m. A total of 3,453 residents were evacuated from the municipality, with 162 finding refuge in evacuation centers, while 3,314 sought shelter in the homes of relatives and friends.
Alacranes is adjacent to the Ciénaga de Zapata, an area where weather conditions began to deteriorate rapidly on Wednesday morning. This geographic proximity further exacerbated the impact of Hurricane Rafael's wrath on the town.