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The Cauto del Paso dam, located in the province of Granma, significantly reduced its spill flow in the last few hours, after several days of intense discharges that caused severe flooding in the region following the impact of the Hurricane Melissa.
According to the latest report from the hydraulic authorities in the region, the reservoir currently maintains a flow of 1,200 cubic meters per second (m³/s), a figure well below the nearly 4,000 m³/s that it released at its peak discharge.
Decreases the flow and improves water behavior
The report, published by the CNC TV Granma page on Facebook and shared on the evening of this Sunday through the profile of Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, president of the Provincial Defense Council and first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Granma, confirms a sustained trend of decreasing flow in the Cauto River basin.
According to the official report, the inflow to the reservoir is 900 m³/s, lower than the outflow volume, which indicates that the dam continues to release the excess water stored during the heavy rainfall in a controlled manner.
A critical operation following days of flooding
During the peak discharge period, the release from the dam—combined with natural runoff and the heavy rainfall associated with Hurricane Melissa—caused extensive flooding in communities in the municipality of Río Cauto, where numerous homes were submerged or destroyed.
Local authorities activated emergency operations and evacuations to safeguard residents of the most affected settlements, amid a situation that forced the dam to operate near its maximum capacity.
Relief after the emergency
The reduction in flow occurs after the devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa, which struck eastern Cuba with torrential rains, hurricane-force winds, and severe flooding of rivers.
The phenomenon left a critical outlook in the Cauto basin, where the accumulation of water in dams and reservoirs reached historical levels, forcing hydraulic authorities to maintain a controlled release to prevent greater damage to the structures.
In the days following the hurricane's impact, the eastern provinces—especially Granma, Holguín, and Santiago de Cuba—faced extensive flooding, power outages, and damage to rural communities, due to soil saturation and the overflow of the Cauto tributaries.
The gradual decrease in water flow at the dam now marks the beginning of a phase of relative stability, although specialists warn that monitoring must continue due to the possibility of more rain in the region.
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