This eastern Cuban province remains vigilant due to the proximity of tropical storm Laura; a situation before which the authorities of the territory advanced the first measures. 

Las Tunas, Cuba.– According to the forecasts of the meteorologists, Laura will affect eastern Cuba especially from Sunday, for which the Civil Defense General Staff directed “the governing bodies of the affected territories to maintain vigilance on the development of these events due to the effects that they could cause, especially the rains.”

Consequently, the Provincial Defense Council indicated on Friday afternoon to take the preliminary measures included in the plans for disaster situations with regard to ensuring the lives of people residing in areas prone to flooding or penetration of the sea, as well as the protection of the material goods, especially food.

Although in the course of Saturday the Defense Council will hold other contacts to specify the steps to follow, it did report the suspension throughout this weekend of the scheduled departures of public state and private transport to the summer area of the beaches in the municipality of Puerto Padre. It did not rule out that in the next few hours could be taken other measures related to the presence of vacationers on the beaches according to the evolution and probable trajectory of “Laura.”

The Institute of Meteorology (INSMET) reported that Tropical Storm Laura in the next 12 to 24 hours will slightly tip its course towards the west-northwest, with little change in its translation speed, and the possibility of gaining something in organization and intensity. This organism will move today over the seas south of Puerto Rico, being able to make landfall to the west of that island. Already in the afternoon, it will approach the Dominican Republic, beginning to affect it from tonight and during the next morning, for Sunday approach the eastern end of Cuba.

"The proximity of this tropical organism to the eastern region of Cuba, said INSMET, will cause a gradual deterioration in weather conditions as of Sunday, August 23, with the increase of cloudy, rains, the force of the wind and the swells depending on its future evolution.”