The government of Santiago de Cuba announced that, as part of the measures adopted in response to the current seismic activity in the eastern region, residents of the 11 high-rise buildings in the municipal seat are advised to remain today in open spaces, which are deemed safe during these events.
The first secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson, told national television that following the registration of 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 visited the 11 high-rise buildings in the municipal capital, which have between eight and 18 floors, and explained to the residents the importance of staying in open spaces.
The leader emphasized 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 poses the risk of stumbling or falling, as it is to descend in a disciplined manner, focusing primarily on the lower areas. We already have experience with these phenomena, and then, well, we will move to the 26th of July educational complex, which is relatively close, especially to the 18-story buildings," the leader indicated.
Additionally, it was reported that throughout the afternoon on this Sunday, the damages will be assessed, and the public will be kept informed about the measures to be taken in situations like this.
Johnson emphasized the importance, in such cases, of seeking protection in open spaces, turning off gas valves, disconnecting electrical appliances, and above all, staying informed through official sources to avoid causing 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 preliminarily on the collapse of a wall in the city center, in San Agustín, but emphasized that "we will stay informed by activating the defense zones in order to assess potential incidents based on reports from the population."
Manuel Falcón, governor of Santiago de Cuba, shared a set of measures on social media that should be implemented in situations like this.
"Santiagueros, in light of the earth movements that occurred this morning, we would like to inform you of some preventive measures," he noted.
The leader provided a series of recommendations for safely responding to seismic situations. The first instruction is to remain calm and act quickly.
During the earthquake, it's essential to take shelter under sturdy furniture or in a safe location, move away from windows and objects that could fall, disconnect electricity, and turn off the gas.
In case of evacuation, stairs should always be used instead of elevators, and individuals should remain outside the buildings. Additionally, it is recommended to have an emergency kit on hand containing water, food, and medications. The population 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 media platform X, Díaz-Canel stated: “We urge our population in those areas to go out and stay in open spaces.”
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.
On Facebook, Arango stated that "the situation is quite complicated; there are many reported damages in Pilón, and we need any reports of damage you may have."
At 10:50 AM this Sunday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck, with its epicenter located 48 kilometers southeast of Pilón, in the Granma province.
Then, at 12:49 PM, an aftershock was recorded with a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale, surpassing the initial earthquake.
Filed under: