The Libyan Red Crescent has denied today reports claiming death of one of its workers, who has gone missing in the city of Al-Bayada since yesterday, as he attempted to aid families trapped by floods unleashed by Mediterranean Storm Daniel.
In a statement via its official Facebook page, the Libyan Red Crescent said “there is no truth to the news of the death of our colleague Hussein Bou Zainouba, who is missing.”
“Search operation is still underway for him, and we ask God to return him to his family safely,” it added.
The Libyan Red Crescent reported yesterday that it lost contact with Bou Zainouba as he attempted to help a stuck family in Bayda. Dozens of others were reported missing, and authorities fear they could have died in the floods that destroyed homes and other properties in several towns in eastern Libya, according to local media.
At least 150 people have died after a powerful storm caused severe flooding in eastern Libya, Mohamed Massoud, a spokesman for the parliament-backed government, told French news agency AFP.
Storm Daniel has affected the eastern cities of Benghazi and Sousse, as well as Derna and Al-Marj.
Derna, a city which was the worst hit, has become inaccessible and local media reported that the situation there was catastrophic with no electricity or communications.
Ossama Hamad, the prime minister of Libyan parliament-backed government, has declared Derna a disaster zone after heavy rainfall and floods destroyed much of the city.
Rival authorities in eastern and western parts of the country have announced three days of national mourning and ordered flags across the country to be lowered to half-mast.