River flood leaves 23 people stranded in Cauto Cristo: Authorities conduct rescue operations

The rise of the Cauto River left 23 people stranded in the area of Los Haticos, in the municipality of Cauto Cristo, where local authorities are conducting a rescue operation to ensure the safety of those affected.

Yudelkis Ortiz, President of the Defense Council in Granma and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in the province, reported on Facebook that rescuers are already on site with boats to transport people to safety.

The leader stated that "we have worked with responsibility and tirelessly to preserve, above all, human lives,” although she acknowledged that certain individual attitudes have complicated the evacuation process in a scenario of increasing risk.

The official noted that the phenomenon was a direct consequence of the intense rains associated with Hurricane Melissa, which caused the Cauto River to overflow and flooded rural communities.

Authorities stated that the ground conditions are complicating the work, but they remain in constant communication with the teams conducting the rescue.

Ortiz also highlighted the importance of organization and citizen cooperation in times of emergency, emphasizing that "timely action wins it all," in reference to the need to follow evacuation guidelines in the face of the threat of new floods.

In a later post, Ortiz reported that he completed "the rescue of 56 people in Haticos Cauto Cristo in Granma Province, including 6 children and 9 women."

He also emphasized, "My heart began to beat again, and with it, my gratitude to these heroes and to everyone who put #AllTheirHandsAll into this mission."

This Thursday, combined forces from the Eastern Army, the Central Army, and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in the municipality of Cacocum, Holguín province, as reported by the official Eastern Army page on Facebook.

According to the report, the operation lasted five hours due to "the complexity of the terrain, the strength of the river, and the prevailing darkness." The teams used an amphibious transporter PTS to cover the eight kilometers that separate the municipal head from the town of Santa María, where the affected individuals were located.

"The young fighters navigated the amphibious transporter PTS the 8 kilometers that separate the municipal seat from the town of Santa María, rescuing 38 people during the journey, including children, women, and the elderly, many with various medical conditions," the statement detailed.

On Wednesday, the MININT released the first images of the rescue carried out early in the morning in El Cobre, a municipality in Santiago de Cuba.

According to the statement from that regime entity, the operation allowed for the safe evacuation of several individuals amid adverse conditions.

The footage, released later, confirms the safe extraction of those affected and shows their subsequent reunion with the rescue teams.