At least 11,300 people have died and another 10,100 are missing from the coastal city of Derna one week after Storm Daniel hit northeastern Libya, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Saturday.
An estimated 170 people have been killed as a result of the flooding elsewhere in the country, and more than 40,000 people have been displaced, the UN report said, citing the latest data from the International Organization for Migration. Figures are expected to rise as search-and-rescue efforts continue to look for survivors.
Eastern Libya’s low-lying areas and weak infrastructure made it especially susceptible to quake.
Mohammad, a resident of Darna, who is working with aid teams to save people, talks about the damage and destruction of this city: “Most of the people in our town are working in Derna, even youths as young as 20 or 15 years old go to work there. The number of people lost from our town, some families lost three, two or one, it’s like a whole nation, losses are more than if there was a war.”
Osman, a resident of Al-Sharif city, said: “These are the victims (of the storm), may god protect us all. We are still looking for the victims. We call on all the young Libyans, anyone who has a degree or any medical affiliation to please come and help us. We have a shortage of nurses, we need help.”
However, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has asked the political opposition in Libya to end their political tensions and unite to take care of the people.
“I call on all Libyan political actors to overcome political deadlocks and divisions and to act collectively in ensuring access to relief. This is a time for unity of purpose: all those affected must receive support without regard for any affiliations.”
Hurricane Daniel occurred on Sunday last week, within a few hours, which caused 400 mm of rain in some parts of Libya, especially in the city of Darna.
World Health Organization has announced that the flood has affected many cities in northern Libya.
It should be mentioned that more than 140 Syrian immigrants died in this event.
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