The annual exercise “Meteoro 2022” began this Saturday in Cuba to review the country’s preparation for the possible impact of hurricanes and other natural phenomena causing disasters.
The Civil Defense, the body that directs the exercise, specified on Twitter that they will carry out “practical activities and drills with the essential personnel and complying with the protection measures” until Sunday.
#meteor2022 The exercise will have practical activities and drills, which will be carried out with the essential personnel and complying with the protection measures that are indicated. #CubaLiveAndWork
— Cuban Civil Defense (@CubaCivil) May 21, 2022
The headquarters of the National General Staff of that entity served as a meeting place for the main authorities of the country, who learned about the forecasts for this year’s hurricane season (from June 1 to November 30), which is expected to be “very active”, with about 17 cyclones in the Atlantic area.
Estimates from the Institute of Meteorology project an 85% chance that Cuba will be hit by at least one tropical cyclone, as well as a 60% chance that it will be affected by a hurricane, according to a report by the Cuban News Agency (ACN).
Along with this, the current hydrological situation in the country was analyzed, as well as highly important issues such as the impact of the pandemic, as detailed by the Civil Defense itself.
Like every year, the main actions cover the cleaning of streets and sewers, garbage collection and planting trees.
Since 1986, Cuba has deployed the “Meteoro” exercise to strengthen its ability to counteract the dangers of disasters that may be of natural, technological or health origin, and preserve the lives of people, their property and the resources of the national economy.
Initially, it was designed to deal with the danger of cyclones, but since the mid-1990s it has been extended to other natural events such as earthquakes, as well as epidemics or industrial accidents.
Efe/OnCuba.
