Floods and landslides of houses in Santiago of Cuba.
Victor and Sanchez
victorernestosanchez@ymail.com

SANTIAGO OF CUBA - May 21, 2009 (www.aplopess.com) intense rains fallen in the santiaguera capital in last the 72 hours have turned the city into a true state of chaos. According to the meteorological authorities about 200 millimeters of precipitation have been registered in last the 24 hours.

In the University of East volumes of 184 millimeters of rain were registered, which produced numerous damages to the adjacent districts, like Low of Farm the Club and the Slide, places where the houses are located in very irregular reliefs that facilitate landslides and to the drag the water obstacles. In addition they lack sewage system, reason why when overflowing itself the latrines and graves everything has taken place a contamination disaster.

Although the authorities have been very careful in reporting the damages, official means already inform into more than 300 houses affected in the heat of city, while 34 underwent partial landslides and two were totally destroyed. Nevertheless, with a simple route by the affected zones more we could verify than the damages are numerous. The district San Pedrito was totally under waters, the underflow of the river of Yarayó affected an endless number of bordering houses. Although the Yarayó river is canalized within the city, the abandonment and I throw of rubbish in the channel cause that the same cannot unload its waters facility in the santiaguera bay.

Another affected zone was the surrounding one to the Tree-lined avenue, where besides existing a great number of houses in precarious conditions, also they are located the main warehouses of the port Guillermón Moncada.  According to some workers of the organization, there are a great amount of wet merchandize, that are being sent to scholastic centers, hospitals, military units and penitentiary centers for his immediate consumption.

The city is paralyzed virtually, immense demolished trees, interruptions in the services of potable water provision and electrical energy, the telephony, besides the floods in all the low zones of the city. 

Intense rains have produced the isolation of some zones with the city of Santiago of Cuba. To the closing of this information, it was confirmed to us that a great number of foreign tourists was isolated in the zone of Baconao, although enjoyed all security in the hotel facilities of the place. Also there is isolation with the brother province of Guantánamo, that undergoes the inclemency of the time.

The population generally is desperate, with electrical lack on watch, without fuel to cook the few foods that are had, vomit buds and diarrheas by the contamination of waters and the hospitals every day in worse conditions to do against the health crisis. In addition one is afraid resurges the phenomenon of dengue now, something that every year leaves numerous victims us, but that is the conditions so that it resurges with all their force.