Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, Nov. 10 - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) sent a shipment of 20 tons of essential items to Santiago de Cuba, intended for families in eastern region affected by Hurricane Melissa, Cubaminrex specified.
Arriving from Tocumen International Airport in Panama, the shipment included kitchen, hygiene, and bedding kits, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lamps, tools, and plastic tarpaulins, enough to assist approximately 1,500 people.
The Cuban Red Cross will distribute the supplies to the communities hardest hit by the storm, with the aim of guaranteeing basic conditions for health, food, and temporary shelter.
Among the items are hygiene kits, containing soap, toothbrushes, shampoo, menstrual hygiene products, towels, and toilet paper—essential for maintaining health in contexts of limited sanitation.
Sleep kits provide sheets and pillows to improve comfort in shelters, while tools will facilitate cleaning and reconstruction efforts. Kitchen kits supply utensils for preparing food for five people.
Marianna Kuttothara, IFRC's Head of Health, Disasters, and Crisis for the Americas, stated that “just three days after Hurricane Melissa struck, the humanitarian aid was ready for shipment and will now be distributed with humanity and commitment to those who need it most."
The shipment was made possible thanks to the IFRC Humanitarian Hub in Panama, where essential items are stored to assist 20,000 people within 48 to 72 hours after a disaster.
In addition to this immediate operation, the organization launched an emergency appeal to raise 15 million Swiss francs (approximately 18 million US dollars), aiming to assist 100,000 people in Cuba over the next two years.
The strategy combines the distribution of essential items with early recovery actions and long-term resilience, focused on rebuilding homes, restoring access to drinking water, and recovering the health and livelihoods of the communities. (Source: ACN)
