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Fear has awakened once again in Majibacoa, Las Tunas. More than 3,500 people were evacuated as a precaution in recent hours due to the risk of overflow from several reservoirs that have already reached the limit of their capacity.
The heavy rains of recent days, exacerbated by soil saturation following Hurricane Melissa, have put eastern Cuba under tension. In Majibacoa, the Rincón dam is at 96% capacity, while Palmilla, La Luisa, and El Chimbí are already at 100%, according to the local media Tiempo 21.
Yamilka Igarza Chacón, president of the Commission for the Protection of the Population, confirmed the relocation of thousands of people to shelters and family homes as a preventive measure to avoid tragedies. "The most important thing is to protect human life," she assured local radio.
Although authorities insist that the Rincón dam's wall is in good technical condition and that the relief process is "natural," there is concern among residents of the low-lying areas. The uncertainty brought about by the rains forecasted by the Meteorology Institute keeps many families on edge.
The provincial delegate of Hydraulic Resources, Mirta García Rojas, acknowledged that Rincón is the reservoir that causes the most concern among the population, although she reiterated that no "water shocks" or abrupt openings are expected.
Nevertheless, all defense councils in Majibacoa, Las Tunas, Puerto Padre, and Jesús Menéndez were activated to act immediately if the water level continues to rise.
Out of the 23 reservoirs in the province, three are experiencing technical problems, and 35 agricultural micro-dams are in critical condition, closely monitored by the authorities.
Recently, in the town of Guamo, Granma province, more than 2,600 people were relocated to safe areas after the overflow of the Cauto River, in an operation that combined trains, rail buses, boats, and helicopters.
The Minister of Transportation, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, confirmed that the work will continue this Sunday with the support of the Civil Defense, the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT).
Images shared on social media showed homes submerged, families taking refuge on rooftops, and railroad vehicles moving through the currents. A train with 13 carriages, carrying over a thousand people, arrived in Jobabo (Las Tunas) amidst the water that had already covered the tracks. Part of the track washed away and several carriages became detached, but the crew's skill prevented a tragedy.
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