Urgent Evacuations in Holguín as Rivers Overflow

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, heavy rainfall has hit eastern Cuba, causing the Sagua and Cabañas rivers to overflow.

This situation forced authorities to urgently evacuate hundreds of families from the municipalities of Sagua de Tánamo and Moa, areas severely impacted by the recent weather event.

Local reports indicate that officials swiftly ordered residents in low-lying areas to evacuate as water levels surged rapidly.

In Sagua de Tánamo, the flooding re-damaged communities still recovering from the havoc wreaked by Melissa days earlier.

"Residents are advised to evacuate immediately," warned journalist Yulianela Barzaga Gómez from Radio Ecos de Sagua, describing how the alert was communicated door-to-door to prevent any tragedy.

Moa experienced similar conditions.

Camilo Velazco Petittón, director of La Voz del Níquel station, confirmed evacuations in the ECRIN neighborhood due to the Cabañas River exceeding its usual level by more than three meters.

Over 260 individuals were relocated to safer areas, with assistance from the Ministry of Interior, Defense Council personnel, and rescue teams facilitating the move to the protection center at Preuniversity Ñico López.

"Close monitoring continues on the Cabañas River in Moa, as it is nearing the bridge that accesses the Pedro Sotto Alba factory," he noted on Facebook.

Rainfall in the area—exceeding 116 millimeters at Derivadora Moa—necessitated the opening of floodgates to relieve reservoirs and mitigate further damage, as explained by journalist Yulieska Hernández García on Facebook.

"The river, slow yet relentless, continues its rise. At the access bridge to the Comandante Pedro Sotto Alba factory, it was already brushing the sidewalk. The old Military Sector is no longer passable," described the journalist in another post.

Those affected by Hurricane Melissa are now facing fresh losses, with homes and crops damaged and lacking resources to recover what little they had.

Journalist Yulianela Barzaga Gómez revealed that the Sagua River rose again on Tuesday night, flooding low areas still not fully recovered from Hurricane Melissa. "The water levels were not as high as the previous surge, but they did penetrate several homes. Through coordination with the CDM, neighbors, and social media friends, over 2,500 residents were quickly alerted to self-evacuate, prioritizing their lives," she stated on Facebook.

Update on Reservoirs and Rivers in Yara

The president of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power (AMPP) in Yara reported that the hydraulic situation in the municipality remains under strict surveillance due to intermittent rains affecting the region.

The Paso Malo dam has reduced its outflow to 125 m³/s, while the Bueycito dam shows a flow of 107.7 m³/s, and the Yao River registers 100 m³/s.

Authorities assure that there is currently no risk of flooding, although constant monitoring continues.

Previously, the Paso Malo dam's outflow reached 201 m³/s.

Ongoing mountain rains have continued to influence the Buey River's growth, especially in Buey Arriba, where heavy rains and an increase in the Yao River's flow caused a water surge towards Lawten.

Preventive measures have been issued for the public: stay informed through official channels, avoid rivers, dams, and low-lying areas, protect important documents and belongings, and ensure the safety of children, the elderly, and vulnerable families.

Despite swift action by neighbors and volunteers, the situation again highlights the severe deterioration of the country's infrastructure and the vulnerability of Cuban communities to natural disasters.

In Cuba, where wages are insufficient and construction materials are scarce, each weather event becomes a prolonged catastrophe.

Although local authorities assure that "no one will be left helpless," the reality in affected communities tells a different story: entire families without shelter, lost possessions, and a population surviving more through neighborly solidarity than institutional response.

Meanwhile, the Defense Council maintains a "surveillance phase" in several eastern Cuban municipalities, anticipating further river rises due to persistent rain.

On social media, local journalists have called for discipline and caution but have also expressed the exhaustion and despair of the people, who once again face disaster almost entirely on their own.