HAVANA.- (ACN) The Cuban government is waiting for a response from Puerto Rican authorities to offer solidarity to the people of that Caribbean island, hardly hit by Hurricane Maria two weeks ago.

Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban Foreign Minister, said last Tuesday that the Cuban government offered a field hospital and 41 health specialists, experts in disaster situations, to assist the victims in Puerto Rico, at a time when, according to official figures, only one in 69 hospitals are working.

Likewise, Cuba is ready to provide the services of engineers and electricity personnel to assist in the restoration of that vital service that today has affected more than 90 percent of the Puerto Rican population.

Rodriguez reiterated on behalf of the Cuban Government and people the condolences to Puerto Rico for the deaths caused by Maria on that island and the immense losses in all sectors.

Two weeks after the hydro-meteorological event, half of the island still has no water service, with virtually no infocommunications and the press shows bleak images caused by coastal flooding.

US President Donald Trump visited the island on Tuesday and unleashed controversy by saying that what Maria caused is not a real catastrophe like that of Hurricane Katrina, also when highlighting the low death toll, and he boasted of the multimillion-dollar aid his government is providing to the
Caribbean island.

Some nine thousand people remain in shelters, and although many more have lost their houses, most are staying in homes of relatives or friends.