The Ministry of Transport of Cuba reported on cancellations and changes in transportation due to the potential impact of the newly formed tropical storm Rafael on the western part of the island.
In a note shared by the Minister of that department, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, the decision of the Civil Defense General Staff to establish the cyclone alert phase for the provinces from Matanzas to Pinar del Río, including the Special Municipality of Isla de La Juventud, was taken into account.
For that reason, the announced measures are as follows. Regarding national and local passenger trains:
1. Maintain the circulation of Train 13 from Havana to Guantánamo, as well as Train 16 from Holguín to Havana, scheduled for today, Monday, November 4, at their usual times.
2. Cancel the operation of Train 11 from Havana to Santiago de Cuba, scheduled for Tuesday, November 5.
3. Postpone the operation of the Manzanillo-Bayamo-La Habana Train, scheduled for Tuesday, November 5, until weather conditions and train movement safety are restored.
4. Postpone the departure of Train 14 from Guantánamo to Havana, originally scheduled for Wednesday, November 6, until weather and train movement safety conditions are restored.
5. Cancel the departure of Train 15 Havana-Holguín scheduled for Wednesday, November 6.
6. Cancel the interprovincial train departures in the western region, from Matanzas to Pinar del Río, starting Monday, November 4, at midnight. Local services will remain at the discretion of the Defense Councils of each territory. The public will be informed in due time about the resumption of these services.
This schedule is subject to change based on the evolution of the weather event and any impacts that may occur on the railway infrastructure.
For their part, the National Buses:
1. All scheduled departures for today, Monday, November 4, are operating at their usual times, except for the routes connecting the municipalities of Baracoa and Maisí.
All departures from the National Program are suspended, including VIAZUL services to and from Havana, as well as the interprovincial connections linking territories from Sancti Spíritus to Artemisa, starting at midnight on Monday, November 4. Until now, interprovincial departures connecting territories from Sancti Spíritus to Guantánamo will remain in operation.
3. Depending on the progress of the weather event, other decisions may be made, which will be communicated to our passengers in a timely manner.
4. The restoration of these services will be carried out gradually as weather conditions and road infrastructure allow.
They clarified that passengers who do not wish to travel will receive a full refund of their ticket price, while those who wish to reschedule their departures should stay in contact with the commercial offices of Viajero so that once services are restored, they can organize their travel dates based on availability.
Regarding air transportation, they stated that:
1. For the time being, national and international flight operations will continue as long as weather conditions permit. Any changes regarding this will be promptly communicated to our passengers.
2. In the case of air navigation services over our airspace, they are ensured without interruption.
Finally, the note indicates that traffic between the ports of Batabanó and Nueva Gerona remains suspended until hydrometeorological conditions permit maritime navigation between these ports.
Passengers with reserved tickets are advised to stay in contact with the Commercial Offices of the Viajero Company to reschedule their trips once navigation has been restored.
Rafael became a tropical storm on Monday afternoon, posing a threat to the western region of Cuba.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) detailed in a report about the tropical system that at 4:00 p.m., the center of Rafael was located near latitude 15.5 North and longitude 76.7 West, moving north at a speed of 9 mph (15 km/h). A shift toward the northwest is expected to begin later tonight and continue over the next few days.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: