Two collapses reported in Havana

At least two landslides have been reported in Havana in recent hours following the heavy rains associated with the passage of Hurricane Helene over the western tip of Cuba.

The internet user Arlenis Duarte Diego reported on Facebook about the partial collapse this Thursday of a building that has been uninhabited for over seven years, and from which a part fell and injured a neighbor.

The image shows the building and pieces of concrete that fell from it and landed in the middle of the street.

"It seems that they are waiting for me to kill more people. Another piece of this famous building just fell and injured a neighbor. How long!!!!!," the woman questioned in light of the authorities' apathy, who have apparently delayed the demolition of the building.

For its part, the official profile of Ransel Londres said on the same social network that the fire department was working on a collapse that occurred at 211 Factoria Street, corner of Arsenal, in Old Havana.

This collapse is believed to have occurred in the early morning hours, and it is unknown whether there are any injuries or fatalities.

He stated that after the emergency, the forces from Public Health and the Ministry of the Interior were already on the scene.

Western Cuba has been under heavy rain in recent hours as a result of Hurricane Helene, which passed near Pinar del Río as a category 1 and is now intensifying in the United States.

A report from Tele Pinar indicated that in the coastal town of Cortés, the sea remains furious and landslides were also reported on Wednesday.

In the municipality of Los Palacios, the main authorities reported an increase in reservoirs and rivers following the heavy rains recorded.

Tropical storm Helene became a category 1 hurricane on Wednesday and continued to intensify on Thursday afternoon, becoming a category 3 storm just hours before it was forecasted that the unusually large and rapidly intensifying storm would make landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida as a monstrous category 4 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center issued a warning, stating that Helene could bring a "potentially deadly" storm surge of between 15 and 20 feet in some parts of the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Although Helene is expected to make landfall on Thursday night, its effects will likely be felt much earlier due to its unusual size.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), "Helene's wind field extends up to 275 miles from its center."