On Saturday, muddy water mixed with floating debris engulfed General Lee Street in Havana's 10 de Octubre district, following a series of intense downpours that pounded the Cuban capital.
A video shared on the Facebook page 'Tiempo a su Favor' captures the street submerged under murky brown water, with trash and debris drifting along.
The footage reveals at least one commercial establishment partially underwater, with weathered building facades and electrical poles with dangling wires painting a bleak picture of an area plagued by neglect and waste accumulation.
This incident is not an isolated one. The 10 de Octubre district is among the hardest hit by the recent deluge in Havana. According to the official website of the Cuban Presidency, the storm caused the total collapse of 26 homes and partial damage to 122 in the capital.
The provincial secretary of the Party in Havana reported that some areas recorded more than 300 millimeters of rain in a 24-hour period. The electrical grid suffered severe damage, affecting 78 circuits and cutting power to over 250,000 customers, with approximately 120,000 still without electricity during the last official assessment. Additionally, 148 people sought refuge in state centers, and 762 evacuated to stay with family or friends.
Areas most severely impacted by the flooding included Boyeros, 10 de Octubre, Cotorro, San Miguel del Padrón, Arroyo Naranjo, La Lisa, and Cerro.
Underlying Infrastructure Issues Exacerbate Flooding
Behind each flood in Havana lie two unresolved structural issues. The first is the city's antiquated sewage system: built between 1908 and 1914 for a population of 600,000, it now struggles to serve nearly two million residents with its 1,755 kilometers of outdated pipelines, unable to handle heavy rainfall.
The second is the garbage collection crisis. By 2026, only 44 out of 106 garbage trucks were operational in the city due to diesel shortages and mechanical failures, leaving a significant portion of Havana's daily 24,000 to 30,000 cubic meters of solid waste uncollected. This accumulated garbage clogs drains and sewers, turning each downpour into a flood strewn with floating debris, precisely as depicted in the General Lee video.
The 10 de Octubre district is no stranger to flooding. Heavy rains have frequently led to similar scenes in various parts of the capital over recent years, with September, during peak hurricane season, being one of Cuba's wettest months.
While the regime tallies the damages and releases official figures, residents of General Lee face streets transformed into rivers of mud and debris, with no resolution in sight for the underlying issues of outdated infrastructure and failing services.
Key Questions About Havana's Flooding
What are the main causes of flooding in Havana?
The primary causes of flooding in Havana are an outdated sewage system unable to cope with heavy rains and a garbage collection crisis leading to clogged drains.
How many homes were affected by the recent rains in Havana?
The recent heavy rains in Havana caused the total collapse of 26 homes and partial damage to 122 others.
Which areas in Havana were most affected by the flooding?
The most affected areas in Havana included Boyeros, 10 de Octubre, Cotorro, San Miguel del Padrón, Arroyo Naranjo, La Lisa, and Cerro.