The United States is prepared to send humanitarian assistance to Cuba in support of hurricane recovery efforts, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation of eastern Cuba, the Trump administration stands with the brave Cuban people who continue to struggle to meet basic needs,” he stated on X on Oct. 30.

“The United States is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and via local partners who can most effectively deliver it to those in need.”

The secretary said in the statement: “As in neighboring Caribbean countries, the department is issuing a Declaration of Humanitarian Assistance for Cuba and is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and via local partners who can most effectively deliver it to those in need.”

Several of the island nation’s eastern provinces, including Santiago de Cuba, were evacuated ahead of the storm’s arrival and suffered devastating winds, storm surge, rainfall, and flash flooding as Melissa made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Oct. 29.

More than 735,000 people were reported to be seeking refuge in a shelter.

The addition of humanitarian efforts in Cuba follows State Department confirmation on Oct. 29 that it was activating U.S.-based Urban Search and Rescue teams as well as deploying a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team to the Caribbean.

“These teams are working with affected countries and local communities to determine what assistance is needed and with interagency, international, and U.S. military partners to coordinate emergency response efforts,” the department said. It did not specify which countries the teams would be sent to.

In a statement posted to its website regarding response efforts to Hurricane Melissa, the department said it was “collaborating with United Nations agencies, NGOs, and host governments to deliver food, water, medical supplies, hygiene kits, temporary shelter, and search and rescue support.”

The assistance to Cuba also comes after the Trump administration reestablished hardened relations with the communist country, restoring it to the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Meanwhile, China’s ambassador to Cuba indicated that it sent hundreds of boxes of supplies to be pre-positioned in the eastern corners of the island ahead of the storm and delivered by the Chinese Red Cross to its local counterparts.

The boxes were shown to contain thermal blankets, umbrellas, toothbrushes, forks, spoons, bowls, and footwear, among other things.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.