Libya Flood Death Toll May Reach 20,000; Survivors Plagued With Food Shortage

The number of fatalities in the deadly floods in Libya could climb to as high as 20,000.

(Photo : Getty Images/AFP)

Authorities feared this death toll as thousands are still declared missing following the onslaught of Storm Daniel in the war-stricken country.

Bodies have been flooding the streets in devastated villages.

At present, authorities said that the storm killed at least 5,300 people across northeastern Libya.

Officials said that the scale of devastation appeared to be worse than what they had initially predicted, noting that the recovery and rehabilitation of the country, especially the most hit, could cost billions of dollars.

Situation in most-hit Derna

In the City of Derna, which has been the most affected by the weather disturbance, at least 30,000 people had been displaced.

Two dams collapsed, resulting in the damage of several bridges in the area.

Survivors have been experiencing shortage of food and drinking water. Authorities, meanwhile, have been met with difficulties in fully restoring the internet connection.

At present, a technical committee that was created to assess the damage disclosed that the extent of the collapsed road network in Derna was estimated at 20 miles or 30 kilometers.

Furthermore, the group said the area that has been damaged by the deep inundation covered 90 hectares or 220 acres, with five bridges being wiped out.

So far, the agencies aiming to distribute assistance to the affected families in the city are having a difficult time in reaching Derna, which houses more than 100,000 people.

This was because of the fact that the roads have been gravely hampered by the destruction brought by the storm. The only mountain road that could be used was the one that is situated between Tobruk and Derna.

However, the said road was clogged with heavy flow of traffic due to the relief vehicles as well as the influx of residents who had gone in search of their missing relatives and loved ones.

Meanwhile, aid agencies were forced to use helicopters, mainly provided by Egypt, to deliver assistance.

To recall, it was early this week when Storm Daniel had caused massive inundation in Libya's northeast, leading to loss of lives and infrastructure damage in several coastal towns and along rivers, including Benghazi, Al-Jabal Al-Akhder, Al-Marj, Batah, Bayada, Albayda, Shahat and Sousse.

In the City of Derna alone, 30 million cubic meters of water had been released.

Aid to address hunger

The group Action Against Hunger has launched an emergency appeal to support the victims who are affected by the floods.

"Our teams in Libya are ready to support the local Libyan Red Crescent in the distribution of food packages, hygiene kits, and other essential items for 1,000 affected people," Dr. Charles Owubah, the CEO of Action Against Hunger, said.

Since 2019, this organization has been working in Libya to strengthen the resilience of people affected by the conflict and improve livelihoods for the most vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has announced an initial package worth up to £1 million to provide life-saving assistance to meet the immediate needs of the survivors of the floods.

In addition, the UN also announced $10 million in response to the flooding from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to which the UK is one of the largest donors.

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