Cubans once again exercised to respond more effectively to natural, sanitary and other catastrophes by performing last weekend a new edition of the nationwide Meteoro 2019.
The Meteoro 2019 training had as peculiarity to incorporate the practices applied in the last natural emergencies, among them extemporaneous heavy rains and an unusual tornado.
This last phenomenon with whirling winds severely hit Havana’s housing and commercial fund, although today’s recovery of more than 90 percent of the damages highlights the hard work done.
Hence the importance of adding the lessons learned from the passing of the tornado to confront calamities and accidents, at a time when the Atlantic Basin will begin the 2019 hurricane season on June 1.
In this context it is understood that under the direction of the Civil Defense Staff and with the supervision of the country’s highest authorities, a significant part of the population would participate in Exercise Meteoro 2019.
This type of simulation is accompanied by the popular qualifier, and it really has that scope because both directors and citizens participate and learn.
In many municipalities they emphasized the training of the personnel in charge of the victims of natural cataclysms, sanitary or accidents and they also supervised the availability of transportation and communication equipment.
Local authorities experienced how to preserve economic resources from the impact of natural, technological or other phenomena.
While that is a crucial edge of all Meteoro tests, this year they insisted on them because the country has accentuated material limitations, especially because of hostility from the United States and difficulties with some suppliers.
Restrictions are now evident in local markets. So there must be a safe rearguard in the event, for example, of a hurricane.
As can be seen, even in the midst of thorny circumstances, Cubans do NOT give up the opportunity to prepare for disaster risk reduction.
Many territories were transformed into defense zones, the army cooperated with civilians and economic objectives, and communities received precise assignments.
Although there is a reservoir of experiences and the Caribbean archipelago enjoys a political and social structure adapted to the pressures, Cubans do NOT take for granted that nothing is going to happen, we get ready for new eventualities, just in case.
(Taken from RHC in Spanish)