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Cuba recorded the fifth driest year since 1901 in 2025, accumulating 1,114 millimeters of rain, which is 83% of the historical average, according to a report from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) released by state media.
According to data published by the official press and collected by the EFE agency in a report released by Swissinfo, the pattern of rainfall was uneven across the different regions of the country.
The eastern region recorded the highest accumulation, with 94% of its historical average, influenced by the passage of Hurricane Melissa. In the central region, the rains reached 82%, while in the west they only reached 74%.
According to information provided by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources to the Cuban News Agency (ACN), at the end of 2025, Cuban reservoirs held 5,868 cubic hectometers (hm3) of water, which represents 64% of their total capacity and 228 hm3 below the historical average for that period.
The INRH report also highlighted that 14 of the country's 101 main aquifers were in unfavorable condition and one was in critical condition.
The lack of rainfall has a direct impact on water supply in various areas of the island. Official data released in 2025 indicated that more than 3,100,000 people in Cuba are suffering from complete or partial water supply shortages, which is roughly 30% of the population, in a context marked by drought, an energy crisis, equipment failures, and the deterioration of hydraulic networks.
Additionally, an analysis from the Meteorology Institute cited by EFE indicated that between November 2025 and January 2026, 30% of Cuban territory experienced the effects of meteorological drought.
From that figure, 5% corresponded to severe to extreme drought, 8% to moderate, and 17% to mild.
According to that report, the provinces most affected by the rainfall deficit were Pinar del Río, Artemisa, and Havana.
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