Satellite Imagery of Storm Eta Nov 10, 16:00 GMT

Havana, Nov 10 (RHC) The National Civil Defense Staff (EMNDC) of Cuba decreed Tuesday the Alarm Phase for the provinces of Pinar del Río (West) and Villa Clara, Sancti Spíritus and Cienfuegos (Center) due to the effects caused by the heavy rains associated to tropical storm Eta.

The Civil Defense urged these territories to comply with measures foreseen in their respective risk management and disaster relief plans. At the same time, it requested the rest of the western and central provinces to remain attentive to the information.

According to the Forecasting Center of the Meteorology Institute, Tropical Storm Eta was almost stationary in the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico, very close to the western end of the island.

This has caused heavy rains in Pinar del Río, while the storm's feeding bands continued to affect the country's central region, making its hydrometeorological situation very complicated.

The rains reported in the last hours in Sancti Spíritus caused the interruption of the road that connects the provincial capital with the southern municipality of Trinidad.

The flooding of the Caracusey and Agabama rivers cut off land communication between both places; meanwhile, other accesses to Trinidad are also limited.

Due to this, hundreds of people from Méyer, FNTA, Condado, Algaba, and Caracusey were protected.

Also, access to the coastal town of Casilda is interrupted, so residents from low lying areas were evacuated.