Drought in Cuba affects more than 400 thousand people

Thedrought in Cuba It leaves more than 400 thousand people affected by the lack of water, particularly in the east of the country.

HeNational Institute of Hydraulic Resources(INRH) pointed out that in Guantánamo more than 90,000 people are without water, in Camagüey more than 60,000, in Santiago de Cuba more than 50,000 and in Havana more than 47,000.

The Cuban State indicated that the currentdrought period It is practically the most extreme that the country has had and the climatic outlook indicates that the situation will extend during the coming months that correspond to the dry season.

Until after May 15 The arrival of rains in Cuba is not expected. This poses a new challenge to the regime because in addition to inflation and the food crisis, it has thousands of Cubans without access to water resources, in a context of fuel shortages to transport water to the towns.

The INRH said that themeteorological drought It occurs when there is a prolonged period without rain or with rain that leaves accumulations below average. Between March 1 and 10, there were 137 Cuban municipalities that reported no rainfall.

It is not the first time that Cuba faces aintense drought. The regime assures that the eastern provinces have made investments to confront the phenomenon, but according toGranma Those investments still "need to be activated."

The drought has contributed to the expansion of severalforest fires in Cuba, leaving thousands of hectares of forest incinerated. Last week one occurred in the vicinity of La Güira national park, in Pinar del Río.

Another was active beforeForest fire of large proportions in the mountainous area of Pinares de Mayarí that left more than 6,000 hectares consumed by fire.

InGuantanamo drought is such that the areas of the Manuel Tames municipality, where 7,436 people live, are supplied withdrinking water every 35 days by hydraulic networks and25 days for tank cars. The town with the greatest problems (town "Eleno Borges") receives a supply ofwater in pipes, only once a month.