The western provinces of Cuba are today in a cyclonic alert phase due to the proximity of tropical storm Laura, which affected the eastern part of the country.

The decision of the Civil Defense General Staff became effective this Monday at 06:00, local time, and includes the provinces of Matanzas, Mayabeque, Havana, Artemisa and Pinar del Río, and the special municipality of the Island of Youth (in the south west).

Meanwhile, the informative note 4, the Civil Defense went from alert to cyclonic alarm to the provinces of Ciego de Ávila, Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara and Cienfuegos.

The eastern territories of the Caribbean nation are in cyclonic alarm since the day before.

In the communiqué, the Civil Defense told the state bodies and agencies, economic entities, social institutions and the population to be attentive to the information from the Institute of Meteorology and to comply with discipline the guidelines of the local authorities.

At 08:00 local time, Laura was at 20.9 degrees North latitude and 79.7 degrees West longitude, 105 kilometers south of the city of Trinidad (center-south of the island).

The meteorological information revealed the storm was moving at 33 kilometers per hour in a west-northwest direction, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour and a minimum pressure of 1000 hectopascals.