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The University of Oriente (UO) in Santiago de Cuba announced on Sunday a set of emergency measures in response to the threat of Hurricane Melissa, including the reinforcement of security patrols in all its areas to protect institutional resources and prevent potential looting following the passage of the cyclone.
The statement was published on the institution's official profile on Facebook, as part of Informative Note No. 2, issued after the National Civil Defense Headquarters declared the Alert Phase for the province.
The university reported that the actions outlined in the informational phase and in the plans to address events of this magnitude have been implemented, and that the established protocol for handling intense hurricanes continues to be applied.
Among the measures adopted, the institution detailed the total suspension of teaching and work activities until the recovery phase is declared, the evacuation of scholarship and international students to their home provinces, and the protection of material resources in warehouses and sensitive areas.
Additionally, work was carried out on cleaning rooftops, pruning trees, securing elevated tanks, and collecting waste, with the aim of minimizing damage and ensuring proper rainwater drainage.
The university also ensured the preservation of food, drinking water, fuel, and the vehicle fleet, as well as securing power plants to keep basic services operational in the event of potential interruptions in national generation.
“The most important thing in this complex situation is the preservation of human life. Prevention, caution, and solidarity will be vital to face and mitigate the impact of this weather event,” the institution emphasized in its message.
In 2012, the UO was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, particularly remembered for the rector's building, whose façade features large windows.
The hurricane Melissa continues to gain strength over the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and poses a direct threat to eastern Cuba, as reported this Sunday by the Institute of Meteorology in its bulletin broadcast by Cuban Television.
The system, which rapidly strengthened during the night of Saturday, reached category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 220 kilometers per hour and higher gusts.
For this reason, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba and president of the Provincial Defense Council, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, issued a warning message this Sunday regarding the imminent danger of Hurricane Melissa, which threatens to have a devastating impact on the eastern part of the country.
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