The Agrometeorology Group of the Applied Meteorology Department, part of the Camagüey Meteorological Center, has classified the meteorological drought situation in the province as "complex," where the prolonged absence of rain and rising temperatures have led to a significant decrease in soil moisture reserves during the first 20 days of August.
"The most recent note on this topic, shared on the institution's social media profiles and groups, indicates that in July, 100% of the region experienced a deficit in accumulated precipitation, categorized as severe-extreme," highlighted this Saturday a report from the official newspaper Adelante.
Beatriz Martínez Pérez, director of the Meteorological Center of Camagüey, specified that between May and July, 100% of the areas experienced a deficit in rainfall; only 0.2% was classified as moderate drought, while 99.8% fell into the severe-extreme category.
The long-term outlook is equally alarming. Between August 2025 and July 2026, drought affected 88.2% of the geographical area of the province: 27.6% was mild, 23.0% moderate, and 37.6% severe to extreme.
"This demonstrates how the insufficient rainfall accumulation has caused the gradual expansion of drought conditions," pointed out Martínez.
The meteorology specialist Ibriany Arredondo Arencibia warned that the water supply index is "insufficient," which seriously jeopardizes planting efforts and the well-being of livestock.
Experts also warned of an imminent danger of wildfires, especially in the northern areas of the region, where the drought reaches its highest intensity.
In light of the situation, specialists from the Camagüey Meteorological Center urge authorities and producers to optimize available water resources, as it is forecasted that the shortage will continue in the coming weeks.
The water crisis in the city of Camagüey worsened even further after a serious breakdown at the pumping station of the Amistad Cubano-Búlgara dam, the main source of urban supply, which reduced water supply to the population and whose consequences extended into July.
In June, the authorities came to ask the residents of Camagüey to boil their water due to the shortage of basic supplies for treating it.
As of March, drought affected 62% of Cuban territory and water reserves were at 38% of their capacity, the lowest level since 2015. Nearly 2.7 million Cubans lacked regular access to drinking water in May.
The global climate context worsens the forecast. The World Meteorological Organization estimates a greater than 90% probability that the El Niño phenomenon will remain active until November, which, according to researcher Luis Lecha Estela from the Institute of Meteorology of Cuba, "could favor conditions of meteorological drought and water stress in the country, with summers being warmer than usual."
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