Seventy five percent of Cuban territory has been affected by drought during the past half year, and the authorities announce more austerity measures and control of water use.
Seventy five percent of Cuban territory has been affected by drought during the past half year, and the authorities announce more austerity measures and control of water use. "The water situation is serious, with health risk if the precious liquid is not consumed with the necessary sanitary quality" said the Head of the Cuban Civil Defense, Major General Ramón Pardo Guerra.
According to information provided by Granma newspaper on its front page, the most important reservoirs in the country are at only 36% its capacity and of the 15 provinces of the country, 11 are the most affected.
"It's important to manage greater efficiency of our resources in order to get better use of available water, facing the prolonged drought affecting the country these days," said General Pardo Guerra.
He also said that there is still little perceived risk and danger involved in this kind of situation" and stressed that the necessary protective measures, particularly in national economic areas are not effectively undertaken.
The current drought is not a casual or sporadic phenomenon.
Cuba is an archipelago and 14% of its territory undergoes a desertification process.
Local scientific studies state that the main cause is the degradation of soils. This occurs by the misuse and economic management of soils mixed with dry and sub-humid environment with effects of salinity and erosion.
The effects of environmental change in the Caribbean Sea, where is Cuba located, are also causing more severe droughts and intense storms and hurricanes, whose season started on June 1st and runs until November 30.
According to the scientific director of the National Institute of Meteorology, Abel Centella, following the drought in the last six months which affected 75% of the country, June should bring lots of rainfall, but "the situation is still tense because the deficit accumulated remain high, which is not reversed with a few days of rain.”
Source: RHC
Translation: Ilia Charon