Jellyfish litter 1st Avenue: No damage reported after high waves engulf key Havana streets

Flooding makes Havana’s Malecon a giant puddle

HAVANA — Heavy winds sent waves from the Caribbean Sea crashing over Havana’s storied seawall Wednesday, flooding streets in the Vedado area with foamy saltwater.

There were no reports of major damage, but hundreds of capital residents spilled out of their homes to watch the waves turn more than a mile of the coastal Malecon boulevard into a giant puddle.

The water left jellyfish, seaweed and other marine debris littering streets more than a block from the ocean. It also snarled traffic. Some drivers tried to plow through were stuck in water up to their doors, forcing others scrambling to find detours.

“It’s been years since I’ve seen something like this, especially since we’re not in hurricane season,” said Maria Hernandez, a security guard who watched 6-foot (2-meter) waves crash into the street outside her building on the Malecon.

Cuba’s Metrology Institute issued a televised statement warning Cubans and boats to stay out of the water.