The damage caused by the heavy rains that fell in recent hours in Havana continues, with the capital experiencing almost 30 landslides in the last 12 hours.
According to different reports, the landslides were recorded in the municipalities of Centro Habana, Diez de Octubre and Cerro. These include 17 partial roof collapses and 11 total collapses in older buildings.
The situation developed during the early hours of Tuesday, Wednesday, a period in which numerous floods were also recorded in several of the busiest streets in the capital.
HAVANA IN CRISIS: MORE THAN 28 COLLAPSES REVEAL THE WEAR DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE FOR MORE THAN 65 YEARS
*The Cuban capital, Havana, is in the middle of an obvious crisis after the intense rains that have hit the region, leaving more than 28 landslides in their wake. pic.twitter.com/ZWqLEE4tNr— 𝐄𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫 (@DespertadorQR) December 14, 2023
The authorities have not reported deaths or injuries due to these collapses, however, the situation remains critical, repeating itself every time heavy rains are experienced in Havana.
According to information circulating on the Internet, the El Manguito community, in Habana del Este, was one of the most affected, as 36 houses ended up flooded after the flooding of the Cojímar River.
The resulting floods also disrupted the passage of vehicles along Monumental Road, something that has generated a lot of talk on social media. Many users have been dissatisfied with the situation, as they believe that the authorities did not take sufficient preventive measures and have not provided the necessary support to the population.
These comments are even seen on official pages, where several Internet users consider that the lack of maintenance and the difficulty in finding construction materials are the main causes of the collapses. Some others focused on inefficient garbage collection, which ends up in the city sewers and facilitates flooding.
Early warning for heavy rains
The situation is far from being resolved, since the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (Insmet) issued an early warning related to an extratropical low that will affect the west of the Island starting on Saturday, December 16.
Experts warn that more showers, rain and thunderstorms should be expected in the region, which could be strong and intense in some of the affected locations.
The Insmet indicated that the associated cold front could move towards the central and eastern area of Cuba, which would cause strong winds and storm surges on the northern western coast. Likewise, they warned that the north wind will cause coastal flooding in the lowest areas, including the Malecón of Havana, starting on Sunday the 17th.
