At least two people died and at least 40 houses were damaged in heavy rain and flooding in the Cuban capital Havana.
The deaths came from a house collapse and an accident, as the Presidential Office of the socialist island state announced on Twitter on Friday. One person is missing in the neighboring western province of Pinar del RÃo.
The center and old town of Havana were among those most affected. Around 400 people were accommodated in emergency shelters, more than 1800 stayed with friends or family.
According to the information, a low pressure area had brought intense rain, thunderstorms and tornadoes in western and central Cuba. Floods have been reported in most of Havana’s neighborhoods, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported. According to civil protection, the power grid was also damaged.
According to the US Hurricane Center NHC, it was a potential tropical cyclone. Heavy rain was therefore expected to continue overnight in western Cuba, and also in parts of the nearby US state of Florida and the Bahamas until Saturday.
