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HAVANA, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Cuban is preparing to send a medical brigade specialized in natural disasters to help flood victims in Peru, state daily Granma reported on Monday.
"The group, including 11 doctors, 10 healthcare professionals, an administrator and a lead doctor, will stay for one month, and is equipped with sufficient medicine and supplies to treat thousands of people," said Granma.
The brigade, experienced in providing emergency medical attention and containing post-disaster epidemics, is part of an international medical contingent, called Henry Reeve, that was created by late President Fidel Castro in 2003, after Hurricane Katrina devastated the U.S. city of New Orleans.
Since December, Peru has been lashed by torrential rains sparked by the so-called Coastal El Nino phenomenon caused by unusually high sea temperatures.
Flooding and mudslides have claimed 90 lives and left more than 120,000 people homeless.
Cuba has come to Peru's aid before, mainly following strong earthquakes in 1970 and in 2007.
