Thanks to the effective civil defense system developed in Cuba and the numerous water reservoirs built in the southeastern province of Granma over the last 4 decades, there have been no human losses even when the floods have reached higher levels than those back in 1963, when hurricane Flora took a toll of thousands of people in this region.

According to Sunday evening reports, the number of people evacuated exceeds 40,000, half of them from the municipality of Rio Cauto. Civil defense authorities and army forces continue to lead evacuation actions as rains in the mountains have not ceased, and water continues to drain down from the highest areas.

Numerous floods have been reported in the municipalities of Yara and Campechuela, said Lazaro Exposito, President of the Provincial Civil Defense Council.

Hundreds of transport vehicles including buses, trucks, helicopters and amphibious vehicles are available for evacuation and rescue operations. The people from Rio Cauto, are being taken to Bayamo, the capital city of Granma, since the Cauto River, the largest in Cuba, is overflowed, as well as the Salado and Naranjo rivers.

Exposito said around 300 families in Bayamo are hosting evacuees and many others have expressed their willingness to shelter victims.