Rains cause more than 100 partial house collapses in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, May 31 (ACN) Although the recent rains in the capital did not cause as much damage as in other territories in the west and center of the country, they did have an impact on the deteriorated housing fund, with more than 100 partial collapses reported.

These happened mainly in the municipalities of Centro Habana and Plaza de la Revolución, and now when the sun gets warmer there is an alert for other possible effects on buildings, explained Juan Montalvo Guijarro, vice president of the Provincial Administration Council for Defense, in exclusive statements to the Cuban News Agency.

He stressed that in addition to quantifying the effects, as happened with Hurricane Irma, there is a will to restore normality in the shortest possible time, where there was some specific situation with the rains associated with the subtropical storm Alberto.

He said that as part of the measures indicated by the leadership of the Party and the government, following the early warning from the National General Staff of Civil Defense, the entities and the population were instructed to continue to pay attention to the evolution of these rains, in order to increase their perception of risk and thus mobilize.

In all the government structures, the actions planned for events that could continue over time were specified, and in this sense the delegation of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources increased the permanent and advanced surveillance of the reservoirs and rivers, and of the possible flood zones identified in each municipality.

Also in conjunction with that entity, the Public Health Directorate in the capital watched over the quality of the water, while with the local commissions for the protection of the population, the measures aimed at also safeguarding people living in buildings in a poor state of construction were clarified, he said.

The vice-president of the CAP in Havana mentioned as other preventive actions carried out in the face of the recent rains, the advanced distribution of the regulated food staples corresponding to June, and the increase in the production of bread, biscuits and other offers by the Food Industry.

Montalvo Guijarro informed that the Delegation of Agriculture was advised to save all the products that could be harvested and distribute them in the points of sale.

The official said that although serenity must accompany the confrontation with any contingency, "we cannot be over-confident and there will always be few measures aimed at preserving human life and protecting the resources of people and the State," he also said, alluding to the hurricane season that begins on June 1.