HAVANA, Oct 15 (NNN-ACN) — Some 800,000 Cubans affected by Hurricane Ian would benefit from a 42-million-dollar action plan of the United Nations (UN), the Foreign Ministry reported, to assist in the recovery from the damages caused in sectors such as housing, health, education, food security and access to drinking water and electricity.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said that the plan includes US $3.7 million reallocated from the multilateral agency’s team funding and an additional US $7.8 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund.
He also stressed that the Pan-American Health Organization donated to Cuba more than eight tons of medical supplies for the worst hit areas of the country, where it made landfall in the early hours of Sept 27 as a category three hurricane and destroyed houses, power plants, telecommunication structures and agricultural areas.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez extended his appreciation to the United Nations for its support of recovery actions on the island after the ravaging passage of hurricane Ian.
On his Twitter account, Minister Rodriguez said the UN support will allow benefitting many familes affected by the storm.
Meanwhile, the Cuban Embassy in Japan thanked members of Japanese solidarity groups and businessmen for their donation of 2,938,000 yen (20,262 dollars) as contribution to the recovery effort after the large fire that broke out in the industrial zone of the province of Matanzas.
On Aug 5, a bolt of lightning struck a fuel container at the Matanzas Supertanker Base and caused a fire that soon spread to three other tanks and caused the largest industrial accident ever suffered in Cuba, which left 17 people dead, more than a hundred injured and considerable material damages.
From Japan, the Association of Friendship with Cuba, the Committee of Solidarity with Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Peace Boat, Shiso Undo and other individuals and organizations stated their support to the Cuban people in view of their losses, according to Prensa Latina news agency. — NNN-ACN
