The Santiago de Cuba government advises residents of high-rise buildings to stay in open spaces

The government of Santiago de Cuba advises residents of high-rise buildings to stay in open spaces due to the current seismic situation, in light of the possible occurrence of aftershocks.


The government of Santiago de Cuba announced that, as part of the measures taken in response to the current seismic situation in the eastern region, residents of the 11 high-rise buildings in the municipality are advised to remain in open spaces today, which are deemed safe during such events.

The first secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson, told national television that following the earthquakes, the first at 10:50 AM and the second at 12:49 PM, with magnitudes of 6.0 and 6.7 respectively, provincial leaders went to the 11 high-rise buildings in the capital municipality, which have between eight and 18 floors, and explained to their residents the importance of staying in open spaces.

The leader stated that the population was urged to move in an orderly and disciplined manner to prevent potential accidents.

"It is not the same to descend in response to an event of this magnitude, which always carries the risk of stumbling and falling, than to descend in an orderly manner, focusing primarily on the lower areas. We already have experience with these phenomena, and then, well, we will move to the urban area of the 26th of July School City, which is relatively close, especially to the 18-story buildings," the leader indicated.

Furthermore, it was reported that throughout the afternoon of this Sunday, assessments of the damages will be conducted, and the public will be kept informed about the measures to be taken in situations like this.

Johnson emphasized the need, in such cases, to take precautions in open spaces, turn off gas valves, disconnect electrical devices, and, above all, to stay informed through official media to avoid inciting panic among the population.

He emphasized that so far, two earthquakes have been reported along with a number of aftershocks, which are also normal following events of this magnitude.

Regarding the damages, the leader reported, in a preliminary assessment, the collapse of a wall in the city center, in San Agustín. However, she emphasized that “we will keep informed by activating the defense zones to evaluate the potential incidents we may have based on reports from the population.”

Manuel Falcón, the governor of Santiago de Cuba, shared a set of measures on social media that should be implemented in situations like this.

Facebook Capture / Manuel Falcón

"Santiagueros, in light of the ground movements that occurred this morning, we would like to share some preventive measures," he stated.

The leader provided a series of recommendations for acting safely in the event of seismic situations. The first instruction is to remain calm and act quickly.

During an earthquake, it is essential to take shelter under sturdy furniture or in a safe location, stay away from windows and objects that may fall, disconnect the electricity, and turn off the gas.

In the event of an evacuation, always use the stairs and avoid elevators, and remain outside of the buildings. Additionally, it is recommended to have an emergency kit on hand that includes water, food, and medications. The community should stay prepared and alert.

Regarding this, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel urged residents of the affected areas via his social media to evacuate the buildings and stay in open spaces.

On the social network X, Díaz-Canel stated: “We urge our people in those areas to go outside and stay in open places.”

The reason for these measures is the potential occurrence of aftershocks. In this regard, Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service of Cuba at the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS), warned on his social media that the situation is quite complicated following the recording of two earthquakes this Sunday southeast of Pilón, in the province of Granma.

Facebook Capture / Enrique Diego Arango Arias

On Facebook, Arango stated that "the situation is quite complicated; there are many reports of damage in Pilón. We need any reports of damage you may have."

At 10:50 a.m. on this Sunday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 occurred, with its epicenter located 48 kilometers southeast of Pilón, in Granma province.

Then, at 12:49 PM, an aftershock was recorded, registering a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale, surpassing the initial earthquake.

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