Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, located between the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean, lying 145 km south of Florida and 210 km east of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. It spans 1,250 km and covers 109,884 sq. km, with a mix of mountains and fertile plains. The population is approximately 11.2 million (2025). 

Cuba has 7.67 million mobile connections. While mobile access has grown, internet use remains limited due to infrastructure gaps and regulatory restrictions. Telecommunications are managed by ETECSA, the state-owned provider with a monopoly on mobile and internet services. Voice, SMS, and mobile data have gradually expanded since 2013. 

Disaster response is coordinated by Cuba’s Civil Defence System, led by the National Civil Defence Staff under the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces. The system mobilizes government and community-level action. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm on 28 October, then weakened to Category 3 before striking Cuba near Chivirico, Santiago de Cuba, early on 29 October. The National Hurricane Center warns the storm remains “extremely dangerous.” 

Global ETC is on standby to support coordination and assessments, pending requests.