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Cuba hurricane guide

The Estado Mayor Nacional de la Defensa Civil (EMNDC) oversees civil defense in Cuba and organizes the protection of the population in disasters. When a storm threatens, the response runs in three phases, in Defensa Civil's words: Fase Informativa, Fase de Alerta, and Fase de Alarma, followed by the recovery stage. Once activated, the Consejos de Defensa (defense councils) direct the protection of the population, and people move to other homes or to evacuation centers when their Consejo de Defensa orders it. Your local page lists provincial contacts.

Checked on October 3, 2026

Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from the Estado Mayor Nacional de la Defensa Civil (EMNDC). In an emergency, call 106 for the police, 105 for fire, or 104 for an ambulance.

Provinces

Choose your province. Cuba has 15 provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud. Each page has the province's civil defense information and local contacts.

These pages cover all of Cuba.

What to know in Cuba

  • Defensa Civil plans to protect people either in the homes of residents who offer them, on a voluntary basis, or in evacuation centers in state buildings, tunnels, adapted caves, and other protective works. People move when the Consejo de Defensa for the area orders it.
  • Defensa Civil's planning gives special attention to vulnerable people, including children under 13, women near the end of pregnancy, people with disabilities, older people, people on dialysis, and the chronically ill.

Emergency and information numbers

Service Number Notes
Police 106 Policía Nacional Revolucionaria (PNR). ETECSA, the state telephone company, lists it as a free emergency number.
Fire 105 Bomberos. Free.
Ambulance 104 Ambulancias. Free.
Maritime search and rescue 107 Búsqueda y salvamento marítimo, for emergencies at sea. Free.

National resources

  • Gaceta Oficial No. 24 Extraordinaria de 2026 (Defensa Civil resolutions): Official text of three 2025 EMNDC resolutions, including Resolución 3 on how Defensa Civil plans the protection of the population and the tasks in each phase. In Spanish. Website.
  • Cruz Roja Cubana: Cuban Red Cross national headquarters, Calle 20 No. 707 entre 7ma y 9na, Playa, La Habana. Office line. Phone: +53-7206-1403.

For your province's contacts, choose your province above.

Evacuation centers

Open only when announced

Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.

Evacuation centers are organized by Defensa Civil, and people go to them only when the Consejo de Defensa orders it. Some families are protected instead in homes that other residents offer. Follow your Consejo de Defensa and official announcements to learn whether you must move and where to go. No national list of evacuation centers is published online.

Radio, TV and weather

Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.

Official forecasts

  • National Hurricane Center: US hurricane forecasts for storms near Cuba. Follow Cuba's Instituto de Meteorología (INSMET) and Defensa Civil for official alerts. Website.

Power, water and debris

  • Unión Eléctrica (UNE): To report an electrical fault, dial 18888, 24 hours a day. The number above is UNE's Atención a la Población, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., also +53-7870-0167. Your local page lists your provincial electric company. Phone: +53-7870-0142. Website.
  • UNE Nota Informativa: UNE's daily note on the national power grid, with expected outages. Website.
  • Instituto Nacional de Recursos Hidráulicos (INRH): National water authority. Office line in La Habana. Your local page lists your provincial water company. Phone: +53-7871-5100. Website.

Sources

Checked on October 3, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.