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The Cauto River, the longest in Cuba, has returned to its normal level after several days of rising waters that caused in communities of the provinces of Granma and Holguín, according to reports from the station CMKX Radio Bayamo.
The overflow of the Cauto, worsened by the heavy rains from Hurricane Melissa, left vast areas flooded, leading to evacuations, damage to homes, loss of crops, and impacts on local infrastructure.
In several areas of the middle and lower course of the river, the waters reached to cover streets, houses, fields, and rural pathways.
After having "stirred its waters and increased its flow excessively," as described by the local media, the river has returned to its normal volume, bringing some calm to the riverside communities that remained isolated for nearly a week.
El Cauto, which originates in the Santiago municipality of Palma Soriano and flows into the Gulf of Guacanayabo, is considered the longest river and the second most voluminous in the country.
Its overflow mainly affected the municipalities of Cauto Cristo, Río Cauto, Jiguaní, and low-lying areas of Bayamo, where damage is still being assessed.
It also prompted the evacuation of thousands of people and the aerial rescue of several residents who were stranded on the roofs of their homes.
Local authorities reported that numerous homes were flooded and that the rains damaged vast areas of rice, plantain, and cassava crops, as well as rural infrastructure, bridges, and roads.
Although the waters have started to recede, the economic losses are still difficult to quantify.
The stabilization of the water flow will now allow for the advancement of sanitation efforts, repair of homes, and distribution of food and drinking water in the most affected areas, the regime indicates.
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