World
Heavy rains wreak havoc in Cuba, kills three
Strong, heavy rain and electrical storms have been affecting the western and central regions of Cuba with accumulations greater than 200mm.
Havana: Heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Agatha flooded much of western Cuba, killing at least three people.
According to Cuban officials, thousands of residents in the region lost power and nearly 2,000 people have decided to evacuate their homes.
With parts of the capital flooding, state media images showed rescuers in areas of central Havana evacuating people in canoes.
The Cuban Weather Office (INSMET) said: "Strong, heavy rain and electrical storms have been affecting the western and central regions of Cuba with accumulations greater than 200mm, which will continue for the rest of today and tomorrow, Saturday".
The hurricane Agatha had crashed into southern Mexico with the potential to redevelop as a tropical storm in the Atlantic, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center had said.
So far, heavy rains "have produced floods in localities from Pinar del Rio (western extreme) to Sancti Spiritus (Center) and in the Isla de la Juventud Special Municipality (south of Havana)", INSMET said.
"People are almost waist-deep in water," said Luis Antonio Torres, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PPC) in the capital.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Atlantic hurricane season begins each year on Jun 1 and ends on Nov 30, for the North Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.