Coastal flooding progresses in Havana and forces the evacuation of low-lying areas along the capital's coastline



Local authorities urged to take enhanced protective measures, especially in areas near the coastlinePhoto © Facebook/Lázaro Manuel Alonso

Coastal flooding in Havana worsened this Sunday due to strong winds and high swells associated with the eighth cold front of the season, which necessitated evacuations in low-lying areas of the northern coastline and impacted major thoroughfares in the Cuban capital.

Videos shared by the official journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso on his Facebook profile reveal the extent of the coastal flooding in Havana, particularly on Avenida de los Presidentes (G Street), where the water nearly reached Line Street, one of the busiest roads in Vedado.

Facebook Capture/Lázaro Manuel Alonso

In the images, recorded by a team from Canal Caribe on site, the waves can be seen crashing powerfully inland.

The Municipal Administration Council of Plaza de la Revolución confirmed through its Facebook profile that the sea continued to encroach upon low-lying areas of the municipality such as Paseo Street and urged the population to avoid flooded areas, stay informed, and prepare an emergency bag in case of a possible evacuation.

Local authorities reiterated the call to strengthen protective measures, especially in areas close to the coastline.

Capture from Facebook/Municipal Administration Council Plaza de la Revolución

Since Saturday night, evacuations of vulnerable people in low-lying areas near the Havana waterfront began.

Teams from the Red Cross and Civil Defense moved elderly individuals and those with limited mobility to safe shelters due to the worsening weather conditions in the western region.

According to the Institute of Meteorology (Insmet), seawater intrusions intensified since the late hours of yesterday afternoon, causing flooding along the Malecón and other areas of the northern coastline of Havana.

At the Casa Blanca weather station, gusts of up to 82 km/h were recorded at 7:45 p.m. and 77 km/h at 9:30 p.m., both coming from the northwest, while maximum sustained winds remained between 35 and 40 km/h.

The waves exceeded four meters in height in some areas of the Malecón.

The president of the Provincial Defense Council of Havana, Liván Izquierdo Alonso, toured the affected areas alongside representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Fire Department, and Civil Defense.

Through her account on the social network X, she warned about the dangers posed by sea intrusions and urged the population to strictly adhere to the instructions from Civil Defense.

The Insmet Forecast Center reported that, following the passage of the frontal system, strong winds have been recorded in the western region.

Due to the deterioration of weather conditions, the National Civil Defense General Staff issued a Early Warning Notice for the western part of the country, warning of rough seas, coastal flooding in low-lying areas of the northern coast, and a significant drop in temperatures.

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CiberCuba Editorial Team

A team of journalists committed to reporting on Cuban current affairs and topics of global interest. At CiberCuba, we work to deliver truthful news and critical analysis.