Cuba to hold disaster relief drills

HAVANA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Cuba is preparing for a nationwide emergency drill to strengthen official and public response to disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and industrial accidents, Cuba's Civil Defense announced Friday.

The drills to be held on May 18-19 will incorporate the lessons learned from the destructive Hurricane Sandy which hit eastern Cuba and other countries in October 2012, it said.

Civil Defense Deputy Chief Col. Luis Angel Macareno said the first day of the drills will spotlight his agency's role in reducing the impact of disasters in 2012 through preventive measures and early warning systems.

The drills on the second day will involve mock mass evacuations of mainly high-risk communities, such as those near the coasts, in mountain regions, in earthquake-prone areas and near sites where dangerous substances are handled or stored.

The emphasis would be on reducing vulnerability, improving hygienic conditions, and on better organization and better use of resources, he said, stressing that the public is the key to disaster management as the success of emergency response systems depends on their knowledge and participation.

Cuba has been recognized by the United Nations as a model in hurricane risk management.

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