Piura, April 1 (RHC)-- The Cuban contingent of the Henry Reeve Medical Brigade began Saturday to provide assistance to victims of heavy rains and floods in the Peruvian city of Piura, one of the areas hardest hit by the natural disaster associated with the El Niño phenomenon.

In Piura, the Cuban doctors began offering their services to the population in field hospital tents they carried with them on the trip. They also carried with them 4.2 tons of medicines and medical supplies, as well as 6 million chloride tablets to make water drinkable in the affected areas.

The 23 professionals, making up the Cuban contingent, arrived in Piura Friday night, from Lima, the country's capital, where they had arrived earlier on Friday.

Prior to traveling to Piura, the Cuban health professionals met in Lima with Peruvian Health Minister Patricia García, who thanked them and the Cuban government for the solidarity gesture.