The Cauto River began to recede between the municipalities of Cauto Cristo and Baraguá, in Granma and Santiago de Cuba, respectively, but several communities remain flooded and rescue operations are underway, reported the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) of Cuba this Friday.
A commission composed of the head of Engineering of the Armed Forces, the chief of the Eastern Army General Staff, and technicians from the National Institute of Hydraulics (INRH) toured the municipalities of Cauto Cristo and Río Cauto, the most affected by the rains and the overflowing river following the devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa.
Despite the decrease in levels, soil saturation and the runoff from reservoirs complicate recovery, noted a publication from the FAR shared on their page on Facebook.
It was decided to continue the evacuation and rescue efforts for the residents, as well as the constant monitoring of the behavior of the reservoirs and the river's course in its lower section.
Dams at 98% capacity and under "technical control," according to Hydraulic Resources
The provincial delegate of INRH, Marbelis Campos Busquet, assured that the 11 reservoirs in Granma are in "perfect technical condition" and that nine have already reached their maximum level.
“Today all discharges have been decreasing,” he stated, while dismissing that the Cauto El Paso dam is out of control, according to a report on Facebook from the provincial station CMKX Radio Bayamo.
Campos explained that the reservoir, the largest in the province, has managed to transform the large volumes received from Santiago and Holguín - with up to 6,000 cubic meters per second coming from Baraguá and 1,800 from Céspedes - without compromising its structural safety.
Currently, it discharges 4,089 cubic meters per second, which is “a normal volume,” he specified, adding that the structure can withstand up to 11,000 cubic meters through its main gates and an additional 6,500 through the auxiliary spillway.
Despite the official statements, citizen reports from local groups on Facebook, such as Revolico Río Cauto, present a different picture.
Users have shared images of flooded streets and homes underwater in communities such as Trinidad and in buildings 21 and 22 of the Río Cauto municipality.
“Such is the situation on the 21, Central Highway, and for the government, everything is under control, don’t mess with me,” wrote a neighbor in an indignant tone.
While the authorities insist that the situation is "under control," testimonies on social media reveal that the emergency continues to affect numerous residents, with areas still cut off and a return to normalcy far from being achieved.
About 1,300 residents of Guamo, in the province of Granma, were urgently evacuated early Friday morning to the municipality of Jobabo, in Las Tunas, due to the imminent risk of flooding from the rising Cauto River.
The Red Cross of Cuba and members of the rescue forces are conducting rescue operations in the Cauto Embarcadero community, in the municipality of Río Cauto, following the flooding in the area.
These actions are part of the evacuation of over 2,000 residents that took place yesterday afternoon and evening, as well as in the early hours of this Friday, according to on Facebook.
Authorities have not reported any casualties so far, but the situation in Granma and Las Tunas is critical due to the high risk of severe flooding in the basin of Cuba's longest river.
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