Communities in Villa Clara are being evacuated due to discharges from the La Quinta dam

The heavy rains that hit the province of Villa Clara on the early morning of Tuesday have led to the overflow of the La Quinta dam in the municipality of Camajuaní, necessitating the urgent evacuation of several nearby communities due to the risk of flooding.

According to local authorities, the towns of Pavón, Hoyón, El Santo, El Arroyo, La Sierra, Tierra Fría, La Loma, and Pavo Real, in the municipality of Encrucijada, began to be evacuated in the morning due to the rising water levels of the Sagua la Chica River and the overflow of the reservoir.

According to the report from the official journalist Oscar Salabarría, in the last 24 hours, 195 millimeters of rain have been recorded in the reservoir area, while the river Sagua la Chica is discharging 713 cubic meters per second, a figure that could increase in the coming hours.

The La Quinta dam currently releases 56 cubic meters per second, although specialists warn that the discharge volume will continue to increase with the accumulated runoff.

In the municipality of Remedios, the rainfall has also been significant. As of 10:30 a.m. this Tuesday, 90.1 millimeters have been recorded in the municipal capital, 76.5 mm in Buenavista, 74.0 mm in Heriberto Duquesne, 50.4 mm in Zulueta, 15.6 mm in General Carrillo, and 14.5 mm in Remates de Ariosa.

Due to heavy rainfall, two people have been evacuated and the Guanabanabo area remains isolated. Municipal authorities report that they are maintaining constant communication with the population and coordinating with the provincial government to ensure resources and assistance are provided.

The provincial delegate of Hydraulic Resources, Lisardo González Saavedra, explained that the situation is being monitored closely and that they are working in coordination with Civil Defense services.

Army vehicles and heavy equipment from the Agroindustrial Grain Company "Emilio Córdoba" are participating in the evacuation and relocation of residents to safe areas.

The rainfall has also caused damage to rural roads, power outages, and sudden flooding in low-lying areas of the Sagua la Chica basin.

This new event adds to the flooding recorded last weekend, which left over 900 evacuated and two isolated communities in the municipalities of Sagua la Grande and Cifuentes, where damage to homes and infrastructure was reported.

The authorities in Villa Clara urged the population to stay informed and to avoid attempting to cross rivers or flooded areas, as rain is expected to continue in the coming hours due to atmospheric instability over the central part of the country.