Rescue teams in Libya, aided by international support, are persisting in efforts to locate missing persons and recover bodies in the aftermath of devastating floods in the coastal city of Derna. The Libyan Red Crescent reports rescue squads face considerable challenges extracting victims from the sea. Authorities estimate approximately 70% of infrastructure in afflicted areas is damaged.
U.S. President Joe Biden pledged Washington will supply $11 million to humanitarian organizations to address urgent needs in Libya. The White House stated the State Department and USAID will assist in coordinating aid delivery to the most vulnerable by joining the collaborative efforts of countries and NGOs worldwide providing critical supplies including water, food, shelter, and medical care.
According to UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Libya Georgette Gagnon, 9 UN agency teams are deployed in Derna distributing relief aid. Gagnon said in a news conference that chances of finding additional survivors are extremely low, however, body recovery operations continue. She noted aid groups are highly concerned about health hazards and potential disease outbreaks due to extensive damage to water sources and sewage systems.
Libya’s Benghazi-based Minister of Health Othman Abdel Jalil said there is no fear of epidemics spreading in Derna. He confirmed disease monitoring teams have not detected abnormal cases, with current figures being normal.
UN Special Envoy for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily commended the widespread Libyan mobilization to assist flood victims, describing the disaster as unprecedented in the country’s history. Bathily stated that while a natural disaster, human liability cannot be excluded. He noted the destruction could have been mitigated if warnings were issued prior to the floods.