Havana, April 29 (RHC)-- The accumulated rainfall during the month of March in Cuba makes it the driest month since 1961, and that is why our country is taking measures to deal with the drought, Rosa Pérez Montoya, Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, said on Tuesday on the prime time TV program the Mesa Redonda.

Experts are currently observing the behavior of El Niño, which is now low and is forecast to be in a neutral phase, but they are also looking at a series of models that are beginning to identify the La Niña phenomenon, which will possibly involve more rain and more cyclones.  There is permanent observation in the country and experts are expanding it with the use of more services such as agrometeorology, social networks, applications for weather observation, among others.

The minister said that although the drought continues, it may be minimized and the current situation will improve, especially in the hurricane season from June to November. The outlook is that in May, with the arrival of the rainy season, the accumulated rainfall will gradually recover, as the months with the most rain (May, June, September and October) bring 74 percent of the annual rainfall to the country.

In the coming rainy period, normal behavior is estimated, although higher between the months of August and October, the hotter temperatures may pose the threat of high evaporation.  The minister also mentioned that, at the end of the January-March quarter, 88 percent of the country was affected by meteorological drought, one of the four types of drought and the one that most affects Cuba due to its great variability.  This meteorological drought refers to times when rainfall is lower than historical levels and the impact of climate change can affect it.