The 2026 Meteoro popular exercise of actions in disaster situations is taking place this Friday, May 15, with the general theme "Strengthening the province's preparedness and response capacities to face disaster hazards of natural, technological, and health origin."
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Lieutenant Colonel Luis Yasiel Álvarez Velázquez, head of the Civil Defense Organ of the Military Region, explains that first, it was dedicated to recognizing organizations, entities, and individuals with outstanding performance in fulfilling the missions outlined for the stated purpose.
The tribute is part of the commemoration program for the Meteoro 40th anniversary, which seeks to enhance and consolidate the response capacity of the population and authorities in the face of events that endanger lives and economic resources.
The officer from the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR) emphasizes that “the exercise focuses on refining documentation for disaster risk reduction at all levels, the functioning and cohesion of management and command bodies, and the training and preparation of forces involved in disaster response and recovery.”
The Provincial Defense Council, its municipal and zonal counterparts, with their respective working groups and subgroups, agencies of the Central State Administration, economic and social institutions, FAR, and the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) units and entities, non-state economic actors, mass, political, and social organizations, workers, and the all population are participating.
During the morning session, local authorities and the heads of groups and subgroups provided updates on the assessment of disaster hazards in the territory, the status of monitoring and early warning systems, the province's hydrological situation, the behavior of forest fires, and the main vulnerabilities identified, as well as the current health situation, key incidents, and local impacts.
The explanation of the hurricane season forecast and the current status of the early warning and monitoring system for these weather phenomena are other topics under discussion that, in general, provide arguments for timely decision-making.
Additionally, activities are being carried out in food production and community sanitation, besides practical exercises to assess the preparedness and capabilities of the Fire Department, Forest Rangers, and the Red Cross, given their leading role in response and recovery missions following disasters, explains Álvarez Velázquez.