WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2022) Cuba has sent an unusual request for emergency assistance to the United States to help it deal with the consequences of Hurricane Ian, The Wall Street Journal reports citing email communications.
Cuba did not request any exact amount of funds, the newspaper said on Friday, adding that the United States "continued to engage with Havana to determine how much assistance was needed."
According to emails cited by The Wall Street Journal, Washington expects Cuban authorities to place priority on hospitals, water pumping facilities, sanitation and other critical infrastructure if the United States were to provide Havana with aid.
Hurricane Ian has claimed the lives of at least two people in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Rio, and forced over 50,000 people in western and central Cuba to leave their homes.
Ian made landfall in the US state of South Carolina on Friday, after causing major destruction in Florida on Wednesday and Thursday. At least 45 suspected deaths from Hurricane Ian have been reported in Florida, according to US media reports.
Massive power outages have occurred both in Cuba and in the United States as a result of Ian's impact.
