• Submitted by: admin
• Environment
• Guantánamo
• Santiago de Cuba
• Science and Technology
• 11 / 09 / 2007

One death and close to $500 million losses is the preliminary balance of the torrential rains and flooding that affected eastern Cuba.

The highway from Guantánamo to Yateras was destroyed in a number of sections by landslides.

According to an informative note published in the press, Yusmani Tames González died trying to cross a swollen river in Granma province.

It is estimated that the total losses from heavy rain in the eastern provinces from October11 to November 5, plus the passing of Tropical Storm Noel, amount to $499 million, according to a preliminary analysis.

Of that total, $305 million are in the agricultural and forestry sector, including $91 million for damage to cultivations and $78 million for the cost of recouping plantations.

Meanwhile, losses of $128 million were quantified with 21,987 homes affected to some degree, including 1,137 totally destroyed.

The road network was hit hard, with an estimated 13,169 km of highway damaged, as well as damage to railroad lines, drainage systems and bridges.

The note adds that collapsed power and communications lines represent another $33 million.

The total is completed with $20 million lost in the goods and services sector, preventative actions to protect the population ($9.9 million) and fuel used to confront this contingency ($1.2 million).

"We will have to employ a large volume of resources to recoup agricultural production, reconstruct damaged homes and repair the badly affected road network in that part of the country," the note underlines after warning that the figures could increase.

Source: Granma Internacional