A state of emergency continues to prevail in Libya following the devastating floods. Tens of thousands of deaths are feared in the severely affected port city of Darna alone. International aid is starting.
There are fears that the number of deaths in the flood areas in Libya could rise significantly. The port city of Darna is particularly affected. “We expect a very high number of victims. Based on the destroyed districts in the city of Darna, there could be 18,000 to 20,000 dead,” Mayor Abdel-Moneim al-Gheithy told the Arabic television channel Al-Arabija. He emphasized that the disrupted communication in the city made it difficult to rescue the victims.
Storm “Daniel” hit the North African country on Sunday. Two dams burst near Darna and entire quarters of the city, which has a population of 100,000, were washed into the sea. According to the mayor, no maintenance work has been carried out since 2008 due to the tense political situation.
Entire streets are submerged in meter-high mud. Rescue teams continue to search for survivors in the rubble. But the hope of finding people alive is dwindling. Videos on social media showed convoys of vehicles carrying away the dead, while other images showed bodies floating in the sea.
Thousands buried in mass graves
More than 3,000 victims have been buried so far, said Eastern Libya’s Health Minister Othman Abduljalil. Another 2,000 bodies still need to be buried. Most of the dead were buried in mass graves outside Darna, while others were transferred to nearby towns. Rescue teams were still combing through destroyed buildings in the city center while divers searched for victims in the sea off Darna.
The spokesman for an ambulance center in the east of the country, Ossama Ali, said at least 9,000 people remained missing.
Among the dead in eastern Libya were at least 84 Egyptians who were returned to their homeland on Wednesday. More than 70 came from a village in Beni Suef province in the south. According to Libyan media, dozens of Sudanese migrants also died in the disaster.
In Darna alone, more than 30,000 people became homeless, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
state of emergency also in other cities
The state of emergency continues to prevail in other parts of the civil war country. In addition to Darna, cities such as Al-Baida, Al-Marj, Susa and Shahat are also affected. “We just need people who understand the situation – logistical help, dogs that can smell people and get them out of the ground. We need humanitarian help; people who really know what they are doing,” a Libyan doctor told the British broadcaster BBC.
The British King Charles (74) expressed his condolences given the terrible situation. He and his wife were “deeply saddened” by the devastating effects, said a letter from the monarch on Wednesday evening. “We grieve with everyone who has lost their loved ones and continue to pray for everyone whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by the horrific flooding.” He also praised the “selfless courage” of the helpers.
Libya
Floods in Darna
International aid has started
Meanwhile, international aid for Libya has begun. The EU Commission announced on Wednesday that it had sent the first aid supplies from Germany, Romania and Finland to the flood areas. France sent around 40 rescue workers and several tons of medical supplies. Italy provided a naval ship for logistical and medical support off the Libyan coast. Britain announced an “initial package” of aid worth up to one million pounds (around 1.2 million euros) for Libya. The United Nations pledged ten million dollars (around 9.3 million euros) in aid for flood survivors.
Help is also coming from Turkey: Ankara announced on Wednesday that it would send further help to the country by ship, such as two field hospitals. Algeria, Qatar and Tunisia also pledged support. The United Arab Emirates sent two planes with 150 tons of aid. A plane took off from Kuwait with another 40 tons of material.
tents, camp beds, Electric generators
The German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) also launched aid deliveries. According to the organization, there are 100 tents with lighting, 1,000 camp beds, 1,000 blankets, 1,000 sleeping mats and 80 power generators. According to a spokesman for the organization, eight trucks set off for Wunstorf near Hanover on Wednesday evening. The cargo was supposed to be brought to Libya from the Bundeswehr base there today.
The aid organization Doctors Without Borders also announced the arrival of an emergency team in the badly affected city of Darna. The organization announced on the X platform that it consists of logisticians and medical staff. They are also bringing emergency equipment to treat the injured and body bags for Libya’s Red Crescent charity.