The First Secretary of the Communist Party in the province of Holguín, Joel Queipo Ruiz, assured that the province is preparing "for the worst-case scenario" in anticipation of the imminent impact of storm Melissa, which could develop into a hurricane and cause a disconnection of the National Electric System.
In a video shared on Facebook by content creator Edmundo Dantés Jr., Queipo explained that since Wednesday, the 22nd, authorities have been taking preventive measures due to the approach of Melissa.
"The most important thing is to safeguard human lives, as that is the top priority," he emphasized.
The party leader stated that efforts are being directed towards creating "communication capsules" in territories and areas that are difficult to access, in order to maintain the flow of information, even if the electrical system or communications are interrupted.
"We must be prepared even for a disconnection from the system," he warned, while urging the use of alternative methods such as motorbikes to carry information.
Queipo also called for solidarity among neighbors: “Those who have a power outlet should take the opportunity to charge cell phones, to provide energy, community to community.”
Amid the prolonged blackouts affecting all of Cuba, the Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman proposed a "solution" weeks ago to keep the population informed: bringing a television out into the street and connecting it to a generator so that neighbors can watch the government's announcements during the power outages.
According to the first secretary of the PCC in the northeastern province, local media have been covering the weather event, whose evolution could worsen in the coming hours.
On Thursday, a new collapse of the SEN left much of Cuba without electricity, amidst the imminent arrival of the almost hurricane Melissa, which is expected to rapidly intensify, after which it could impact the eastern region of Cuba as a Category 4 or 5 hurricane, with winds exceeding 250 km/h.
As the country braces for potential rain and strong winds, millions of Cubans are confronted with darkness and the lack of information from the authorities, who once again acknowledged a "partial failure" in the system without providing clear explanations.
So far this year, several outages of the SEN have been reported, attributed by authorities to "adverse weather conditions" or low generation in certain areas of the country, amidst the structural deterioration of the energy infrastructure on the island, as well as inefficiencies in the planning and maintenance of the system.
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