Russian aid for hurricane victims reaches New York

Humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy in the US arrived New York early Wednesday, the press and information department of the Ministry for Emergency Situations told Itar-Tass today. The second plane of the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations carrying humanitarian cargo on board arrived in New York at 8.50 am Moscow time Wednesday. Earlier, another flight Il -76 carrying a humanitarian cargo had arrived in New York from Russia. The charter flights from Russia delivered around 50 tons of blankets. The Russian planes were met by representatives of the local authorities, the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Russian diplomats. It is planned to distribute the aid among the citizens who were affected by the hurricane in New York City, the State of New York and New Jersey. Damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy on the northeast coast of the US has exceeded US $50 Billion. More than 100 people have been killed in the natural calamity. At least US $30 Billion are needed for the restoration work in the state of New York alone. In the end of October Minister for Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov ordered to ensure emergency humanitarian response and render assistance to countries which suffered as a result of the hurricane.