They are racing against time on the Malecón in Havana to cover a large hole before Hurricane Rafael

The warning from meteorologist José Rubiera about the arrival of Hurricane Rafael, which is heading toward Cuba and could reach the island as a Category 2 storm, has taken by surprise the workers involved in the renovation of Havana’s Malecón, particularly in a section between B and C Streets in Vedado, which typically floods during bad weather.

Carlos Espinosa Betancourt, administrator of the Facebook group 'Maravilloso Malecón,' has reported on the status of the construction projects on this platform, hoping that once completed, they will "withstand."

From the Facebook group of lovers of the Malecón in Havana, they hope the workers finish on time. However, there is a strong possibility that the cyclone will force them to leave the work unfinished. "I don't think there's enough time to complete it, and in just a few hours the hurricane will be upon us," wrote an internet user who goes by the name Anylous Rojas.

Just an hour ago, with the sea choppy, followers of 'Maravilloso Malecón' announced that workers were already pouring cement into the opening in the area. "Concrete is being poured now. Below where it’s visible, there was a break in the drainage. We hope the outcome is satisfactory for the good of the city and its most beautiful avenue," stated Espinosa Betancourt.

With forecasts predicting the arrival of a hurricane in Cuba, this Tuesday doesn't seem like the best time to be repairing the Malecón. "They should have done that much earlier and not on the eve of a cyclone," writes Facebook user Beatriz Pérez.

Other internet users are directly praying that the hole workers need to fill with concrete before the rains doesn't worsen the situation in that low-lying area, which is prone to flooding along Havana's Malecón.

For the user Raúl Rojas Leiva, the work being done on the Malecón during the hurricane season is "the best example of what it means to be a finalist. It illustrates that the priorities concerning issues that affect citizens are the last to be addressed, only attended to when we are in a crisis. Now that we have been without power in Havana for two days and people start to protest, they inform us that the gas payment has been made and unloading has begun, and in another two days, they will start selling gas canisters again. It's the never-ending story," he lamented.

Rubiera has no doubts that Cyclone Rafael is headed towards Cuba. As he explained on his YouTube channel, "the bands that are forming are very consistent," and the storm is rapidly gaining "structure," which could further intensify as Rafael moves into the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.

According to their forecasts, the hurricane is expected to cross the island over Pinar del Río, with a tendency to strengthen. At 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday (Cuba time), Tropical Storm Rafael was located 130 km south-southwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and 370 km southeast of Grand Cayman.