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Cuba

DPRK offers aid to hurricane-hit Cuba

PYONGYANG, Oct 25, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced it will give aid materials to Cuba in the wake of hurricanes in August and September, the official KCNA news said on Saturday.

"The DPRK government decided to send aid materials to the Cuban government in order to help the Cuban people eradicate the aftermath of the damage and bring their living to normal as soon as possible," the KCNA said. The report did not detail the relief aid.

Hurricanes "Gustav" and "Ike", which lashed the Caribbean island country on Aug. 30 and Sept. 8 respectively, have resulted in an economic loss of 5 billion U.S. dollars.

Some 500,000 houses, 30 percent of the country's harvest and the civil infrastructure were destroyed by the hurricanes.