Cuban reservoirs far below capacity amid drought

Cuban reservoirs far below capacity amid drought
Published July 22, 2015 EFE

The lack of rain during May and June in Cuba, normally the island's
rainy season, has aggravated the dire situation caused by the drought,
where the country's reservoirs are at a mere 37 percent of their capacity.

According to figures compiled by the National Water Resources Institute,
or INRH, and released Wednesday by local media, during those two months
273.4 millimeters (10.76 in.) of rain fell, equivalent to 75 percent of
what is normally expected during that time.

The situation was particularly critical in June - which, along with
September, is Cuba's wettest month - when only 135.8 mm (5.35 in.) fell,
just 70 percent of the average rainfall for that month.

Rain has been scarcest in the western part of the island, which has
received just 71 percent of its average rainfall so far this year, while
in the central and eastern areas the situation is slightly better, with
76 percent and 77 percent of average rainfall, respectively.

The lack of rain is having a significant impact on the country's 242
reservoirs, which at the end of June contained 3.417 billion cubic
meters (120 billion cu. ft.), representing 37 percent of their total
capacity and far below the historic levels for this time of year.

Of the reservoirs, 161 are at less than 50 percent capacity, while 111
are not even at 25 percent capacity, the INRH said.

At the beginning of this year, Cuban experts said that the drought
affecting the country was causing "critical" problems, and last week
President Raul Castro called for water rationing during his speech at
the close of the first annual plenary session of the National Assembly,
Cuba's unicameral legislature. EFE

Source: Cuban reservoirs far below capacity amid drought | Fox News
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http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/07/22/cuban-reservoirs-far-below-capacity-amid-drought/