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Havana, October 23 (AIN).- Cubans continue to strengthen precautionary measures as Wilma causes power interruptions, coastal flooding and marks up an historic rainfall record in western Cuba on its way along the northern coast.
The strong winds of the storm have caused more than 200 power interruptions in western Pinar del Rio province, where electricity workers will do their best to restore the service as soon as weather conditions improve.
On the other hand, Wilma's heavy rains have contributed to a rainfall accumulation that surpasses the annual record in Pinar del Rio with a total of 1,771 millimeters from January up to date. The previous annual rainfall record was 1,445 millimeters.
However, the Provincial Defense Council has warned hydrology authorities about the need to monitor the over-saturation of the soil in the western Cuban province, which possesses a large number of reservoirs.
Havana province, a territory that surrounds the capital city, Havana, has been hit by Wilma's heavy rains and expects strong winds of between 80 and 100 kilometers per hour Sunday evening and early Monday.
Meanwhile, one-meter-high coastal flooding has been reported in the locality of Guanima beach, in southern Havana province. Sea water went as far as one kilometer inland, while further floods are expected to occur later on Sunday.
Guanimar beach, in the municipality of Alquizar, was hard hit by Hurricane Charley last year whose strong winds caused the total collapse of most of the homes in that territory.
In central Matanzas province civil defense authorities have strengthened measures to protect the population. The president of the Provincial Defense Council, Victor Gaute, insisted on the importance of keeping the population well informed about the natural phenomenon in order to prevent fatal consequences.
Intermittent rains have been reported in Matanzas province since midday Sunday, where tourists have been evacuated from low-lying areas particularly from the Hicacos Penizula, where the Varadero tourist resort is located.
More than 35,000 people have been evacuated in central Matanzas province, including more than 8,000 inhabitants of the Zapata lowlands, in the southern part of that territory.
Wilma, a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson scale and with 90-110 kilometer per hour sustained winds, is expected to gain intensity over the next 12 to 24 hours as it continues its route northeast towards the US state of Florida, where it should arrive early on Monday.
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