Parched Cuba grappling with prolonged drought

[El Presidente]

Parched Cuba grappling with prolonged drought

 

VILLA CLARA, Cuba, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a hat and a long-sleeved shirt to protect himself from the searing sun, Cuban farmer Eloy Rodriguez squints at the sky for signs of rain amid a severe and prolonged drought that has parched the Caribbean island.

The 48-year-old is a resident of Ranchuelo, a town in the central province of Villa Clara, where deficient rainfall is threatening to slash rice yields at his three-hectare farm.

"Farming is the main source of livelihood for many people here," he told Xinhua. "This is among the worst droughts I have witnessed in the past few years."

Elsewhere in Ranchuelo, cattle farmer Alexis Martinez, 55, is struggling to feed his herd as the nearest pond continues to shrink.

"We are running out of food for the cattle," he said as he pumped water from a well. "We see no rain in sight and things are getting tough."

The Cuban government is striving to shore up water supply, with some 200 hydraulic structures in the works in the provinces of Guantanamo, Las Tunas, Granma, Holguin and Camaguey.

Also underway is a project to increase water supply to the seaside resort of Jardines del Rey, in the Cuban province of Ciego de Avila, local media reported.

Official statistics show more than 260,000 Cubans face water shortages due to the extended dry spell.

In the first 20 days of February, 142 of the country's 168 municipalities saw less than half the average rainfall for the period, Cuban state TV reported.

The country's reservoirs are now operating at just over 50 percent capacity, and Cuba's Institute of Meteorology has forecast low levels of rain in March. The island has seen a rise in the number of wildfires since January.

Antonio Rodriguez, president of Cuba's National Institute of Hydraulic Resources, said that given the severe drought, it is imperative to fix leaks and conserve water.

"Water conservation measures at home and workplaces are essential," he said, adding that significant rainfall isn't expected in Cuba until mid-May.

[helix]

Jeezus what else could go wrong ? 😟

[ha_banos]

54 minutes ago, helix said:

Jeezus what else could go wrong ? 😟

Are they in a quake zone?