Over the weekend, Cuba received a shipment of 24 tons of humanitarian aid from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) based in Panama. This assistance is aimed at helping those affected by Hurricane Oscar. The package includes essential items such as solar lamps, tools, plastic tarps, kitchenware, and hygiene supplies.
This initial shipment arrived on Sunday via a charter flight at Havana's international airport. According to Nicolás Segura, head of operations for the IFRC delegation, a larger shipment is expected to arrive by sea, containing bulkier items such as water tanks, mattresses, and roofing repair kits.
Assistance Targets Hardest-Hit Areas
The aid will be distributed to the municipalities of San Antonio del Sur and Imías in Guantánamo, which were the most severely impacted by Hurricane Oscar, as stated by Carlos Pérez, the executive secretary of the Cuban Red Cross. "We are grateful to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for providing 24 tons of humanitarian aid to areas critically affected by Hurricane Oscar in Eastern Cuba," tweeted Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.
Global Support in the Wake of Disaster
The Cuban government has received numerous donations from international organizations and countries in an effort to mitigate the effects of Oscar, which devastated the eastern part of the island in October, resulting in eight fatalities, two missing persons, and substantial material losses, particularly in housing and agriculture sectors.
In addition, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has announced a $680,000 funding initiative to address the hurricane's damages, aimed at agricultural, forestry, and fishing recovery. This effort is expected to benefit over 140,000 residents in San Antonio del Sur, Imías, Maisí, and Baracoa by revitalizing short-cycle crop production, restoring livestock, and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen.
Continued International Aid Arrives
Last week, 300 tons of "essential resources" including construction materials and primary care supplies arrived from Venezuela to support the recovery from Hurricanes Oscar and Rafael in the eastern and western regions, respectively.
Furthermore, Santiago de Cuba's Antonio Maceo Grajales International Airport received the first of four planes carrying donations valued at $600,000 from the United Nations and the European Union for those impacted by Oscar. This airport is set to receive over 94 tons of supplies between November 10 and 13 as part of the UN's response plan, which aims to assist nearly half a million people affected in Guantánamo by providing medications, medical supplies, water storage tanks, hygiene kits, chlorine tablets, tarps, mosquito nets, solar lamps, and toolkits, among other essential items.