Sancti Spíritus province faces severe drought as reservoirs drop to 30% capacity

In Cuba's Sancti Spíritus province, water reservoirs are holding only about 30 % of their total capacity. The Zaza dam, the country's largest, is at 22 % of its storage, while the Felicidad and Dignorah reservoirs sit at 35 % and 24 % respectively. Director Francisco Hernández Lorenzo of the Empresa de Aprovechamiento Hidráulico de Sancti Spíritus said the limited rainfall this year forced a reduction in water deliveries to the Empresa Agroindustrial de Granos Sur del Jíbaro for rice planting. Despite the shortfall for irrigation, the supply reservoirs serving the population (Lebrije, Siguaney and Tuinucú) remain above 40 % capacity, allowing the province to guarantee water for domestic use for at least a year and a half.

The situation underscores ongoing drought conditions in the region, with June receiving only 93 mm of rain compared to the historical average of 226.6 mm, and officials planning to reassess water balances after the rainy season ends.