The first of four flights carrying more than 94 tons of essential supplies, donated by the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) for those affected by Hurricane Oscar in Guantánamo, arrived this Sunday at Antonio Maceo Grajales International Airport in Santiago de Cuba.
Assistance for those affected in Guantánamo by the devastating hurricane, which hit the region on October 20 and 21, is valued at over $600,000, the UN System in Cuba stated in a press release.
This contribution aims to support nearly half a million people in the most affected areas of the Guantánamo province as part of the United Nations System's Action Plan for Hurricane Oscar.
These are "critical supplies" that "will support national efforts to improve living conditions, health, water, sanitation, and hygiene, through medications, medical supplies, water storage tanks, hygiene kits, chlorine tablets, tarps, mosquito nets, solar lamps, tool kits, among others," the communication stated.
The donation is in response to an agreement made by five UN agencies (the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR; the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO; the World Health Organization, WHO; the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP; and the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF) and the European Union.
The flights were funded by the EU, with logistical support from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot Network (UNHRD) managed by the World Food Programme.
At the international airport of Santiago de Cuba, the first shipment of aid was received by the party secretary in that province, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, and the governor, Manuel Falcón Hernández. Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa, the EU ambassador to Cuba, was also present.
At the end of October, the UN announced its intention to mobilize 33 million dollars to alleviate the damage caused by Hurricane Óscar in the province of Guantánamo, which, according to official figures, resulted in eight fatalities and severe damage to homes, infrastructure, and agricultural fields in that eastern part of Cuba due to the flooding.
Residents of the most affected areas have criticized the failure of the Civil Defense system in the province, which did not provide timely warnings about the hurricane's arrival or evacuate residents from low-lying areas, all while the country was experiencing a total blackout that left it without electricity for more than four days.
Cubans residing both on and off the island, independent organizations, religious institutions, international agencies, and governments from various countries have sent donations to assist the affected population in Guantánamo.
The United Nations System and the European Union have announced that they will also allocate resources to respond to the devastating Hurricane Rafael in the western part of the country.
In August, the EU donated 500,000 euros to support urgent health needs for children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age in Holguín, Havana, and Sancti Spíritus.
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