The president of the National Defense Council (CDN), Miguel Díaz-Canel, today called on the people of Cuba to act responsibly to avoid loss of human lives and material resources in the face of the imminent impact of Hurricane Melissa.

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In a message broadcast on Cuban television, the president called to take advantage of the remaining hours in the southeastern region of the country to complete all protection measures, and reiterated that the absolute priority is to safeguard human life and preserve the material resources of the nation.

 “We are on the eve of receiving the impact of Hurricane Melissa, a phenomenon classified as category five on the Saffir-Simson scale, considered so far – according to forecasts – as one of the strongest and most severe, perhaps the most intense that has crossed the national territory,” Díaz-Canel warned.

He explained that, since the meteorological analyses on the possible effects of the cyclone began, the Defense Councils, from the national level to the most local areas, have worked in an intense, timely and coordinated manner.

“Thanks to this effort, a large number of people have already been evacuated to safe places, strategic economic resources have been protected and actions have been reinforced to protect those who live in areas vulnerable to floods, river floods and other risks.”

The president said that Melissa will begin to feel in the country this afternoon, will cross the territory with all her force during the night and early morning, and will leave on Wednesday afternoon. In view of this, he insisted that the population must strictly comply with the guidelines issued by the Civil Defense authorities at the neighborhood, municipality, province and national level.

“There are those who ask: ‘Why so many measures if the weather is good?’ But that is precisely the characteristic of these events: the weather seems normal until moments before the impact. That is why it is now when we have to act responsibly, because once the hurricane passes with its devastating force, there will no longer be time to make decisions,” he stressed.

Diaz-Canel made an express call not to bathe in swollen rivers, not to return to homes before the authorities authorize it and to maintain discipline in shelters and evacuation zones.

He recognized the exemplary citizen behavior that has prevailed so far, highlighting the climate of solidarity, cooperation and respect for the measures adopted.

“Our objective is clear: not to regret any loss of human life and to minimize material damage. We are already organizing the recovery phase, in which we will all have a fundamental role,” concluded the president of the CDN.

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