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Russia ready to render assistance to Cuba suffering from drought — Emergencies Ministry

"The drought has turned into a disaster. It affects a total of 4 million people," Cuban Ambassador to Russia said

MOSCOW, August 31. /TASS/. The Russian Emergencies Ministry is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to Cuba affected by drought and to send experts there in response to the relevant request from the Cuban side, Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov told Cuban Ambassador to Russia Emilio Losada Garcia who has asked to consider the possibility of rendering assistance to Havana.

"The drought has turned into a disaster. It affects a total of 4 million people," Garcia said.

"We are ready to dispatch Emergencies Ministry experts, attract the Russian Academy of Sciences to make forecasts and put forward our suggestions on dealing with the aftermath of the drought. Such experts work at the Antistikhiya Monitoring and Forecasting Center of the Russian Emergencies Ministry," Puchkov said.

He added that the Russian Emergencies Ministry was also ready to send humanitarian aid to Cuba. "The Emergencies Ministry is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance promptly and efficiently in response to the relevant request from the Cuban leaders," the minister said.

In general, Puchkov favorably assessed cooperation with the Cuban Interior Ministry in preventing emergencies. "A landmark event was the opening of the Cuban regional training center for firefighters and rescuers in Havana, which makes it possible to organize cooperation and training of specialists for the Caribbean countries at a qualitatively new level," the minister said.