Mon Nov 04 00:07:00 UTC 2024: ## Cuba Evacuates Thousands as Heavy Rains Threaten Hurricane-Battered Guantanamo
**Havana, Cuba (November 4, 2024):** Over 66,000 people have been evacuated from Cuba’s easternmost province of Guantanamo, as heavy rains threaten a region already reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Oscar. The evacuations, announced by local television on Sunday, are focused on the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur and Imias, which were hardest hit by Oscar two weeks ago. The hurricane caused historic flooding, claimed eight lives, and damaged thousands of homes and acres of farmland.
The Cuban Meteorological Institute has issued a warning of showers, rains, and thunderstorms for the eastern end of the country. Furthermore, an area of low pressure south of Jamaica is also being monitored. “We are constantly monitoring the meteorological situation over Cuba and its possible evolution,” tweeted Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
Oscar, a Category 1 hurricane, left Guantanamo with saturated soil and depleted reservoirs, making the region extremely vulnerable to further flooding. The storm has caused widespread damage, with over 12,000 homes, numerous roads, and nearly 20,000 hectares of crops – primarily coffee – suffering significant losses.
This new threat of heavy rain comes at a time when Cuba is already grappling with its worst economic crisis since the 1990s. The country is experiencing shortages of essential goods, including medicine and fuel, frequent power outages, and an unprecedented wave of migration.
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