As the 2024 tropical cyclone season approaches, Mayor Alejandro Ruz Castro visited one of the 64 temporary shelters set up to protect families in case of an emergency. The shelter, located at 90 street number 369 by 161 and 163, is part of the Emiliano Zapata Sur III Integral Development Center.
Accompanied by Directors María José Cáceres Delgado and Ignacio Gutiérrez Solís, Mayor Ruz Castro toured the facility to ensure it meets requirements for operating as a shelter. He emphasized that “prevention helps us have a better response capacity in the face of a natural phenomenon that endangers the integrity of the inhabitants of the municipality.”
The 64 shelters are distributed across 17 neighborhoods and subdivisions, with 47 located in commissaries. They can accommodate 6,302 people and will be operated by trained public servants who have received training in civil protection, shelter administration, and emergency response.
Mayor Ruz Castro also highlighted the importance of prevention, citing a forecast for 23 natural phenomena this season, including 12 tropical storms and 5 hurricanes of categories 3, 4, or 5. He recalled that on June 5, the Municipal Civil Protection Council was established, with participation from various government agencies and organizations.
The Mayor’s Office has also launched an effective communication strategy, providing daily weather forecasts, recommendations to the population, and alerts in multiple languages, including Maya, Spanish, English, and French. Citizens can learn more about the shelters and hurricane season by visiting the City Council’s website https://merida.gob.mx/proteccioncivil/refugios.php or social media pages.
