The powerful Hurricane Melissa will hit Cuban soil in the coming hours. The people of Las Tunas know how to act, guided by their experience with this kind of meteorological event in previous years. Part of the responsibility for the rescue operations before the disaster falls to the men and women of the Las Tunas Taxi Agency.

Las Tunas, Cuba.- Since the hurricane alert phase, they have been called upon by the Municipal and Provincial Defense Councils to carry out, among other missions, the transportation of patients and healthcare personnel.

Serguey Tamayo Rodríguez, director of this entity in the province, explained that more than 30 percent of its fleet has been used in preparations before the arrival of this hurricane.

"This is how we've been distributed throughout the province, taking into account the instructions of the Defense Councils. A total of 13 vehicles per day, one taxi at each polyclinic, at each evacuation center, and one for the public address system.”

"We also reached the popular councils of Vázquez and Maniabón to support the evacuation centers there.”

"We placed all hemodialysis patients under protection; they are our reason for being. Since the alert was declared, we have been transporting them to health centers while we await the passage of the meteorological event so we can transport them to their homes."

Taxi drivers in Las Tunas have not stopped since they learned of Melissa's imminent impact. They also stepped forward with permanent vehicles at the Electric Company and the Provincial Meteorological Center.