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Dubai Sends Third Airlift of Relief Aid to Libya

The aid as part of UAE’s ongoing efforts to support Libyan people affected by the escalating humanitarian crisis triggered by the devastating impact of Storm Daniel.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered a third airlift of relief aid mobilised by Dubai’s International Humanitarian City (IHC) to Benghazi, Libya, as part of ongoing efforts to support people affected by the escalating humanitarian crisis triggered by the devastating impact of Storm Daniel.

The relief mission, employing a Boeing 747 aircraft, took off from Dubai World Central Airport early Friday morning. On board were over 90 metric tonnes of vital aid, including essential shelter materials, kitchen sets, blankets, jerricans, and other crucial relief items provided by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Amidst the increasing scale of destruction and the growing number of missing people in eastern Libya, which necessitated a prompt and robust response from the global aid community, Giuseppe Saba, CEO of Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, reiterated the commitment to aiding vulnerable populations during times of crisis.

He stated, “Emphasising our dedication to providing essential assistance to the global humanitarian community striving to address the rapidly escalating needs of thousands of individuals, this marks the third Benghazi-bound airlift facilitated by IHC in the past three weeks. Aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai’s International Humanitarian City remains steadfast in its mission to support those in need and advance the collaborative endeavours of international humanitarian responders in swiftly and efficiently preserving lives.”

Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor and UNHCR’s Representative to the GCC countries said, “We are grateful for our humanitarian partnership with the International Humanitarian City, and the continued support for the ongoing emergency response in Libya. This airlift from Dubai included 35 metric tonnes of emergency supplies to support people affected by the tragedy.”

He added, “The generous contribution of IHC through covering the transportation costs helps bolster our efforts in distributing relief items to the worst-affected areas in the east of the country.”

Ilir Caushaj, IFRC Head of Global Logistics Hub Dubai, said, “In partnership with Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, we are continuing the air bridge operation in airlifting humanitarian aid to Libya as we dispatched 55 metric tonnes of relief items. We participated in facilitating the arrival of the aircraft to Benghazi airport, which carried IFRC’s third air shipment from the Dubai hub of household kits, blankets, kitchen sets, and water sanitation kits, for an additional 12,500 most-in-need people who have lost their families and homes in the affected areas.”

This relief airlift was made possible through the Global Humanitarian Impact Fund, a resource established and mobilised by IHC to support critical humanitarian missions across the globe.

Last month, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum ordered the activation of the relief air bridge to dispatch aid shipments to the individuals affected by the major humanitarian crisis in flood-devastated eastern Libya. Since then, IHC has extended its support to transport relief supplies for five prominent international humanitarian organisations.

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UAE’s Lifeline to Libya: 37 Aid Flights Sent

Powered by cutting-edge equipment and technology, the Emirati team stationed in Libya is steadfast in its efforts to support the most affected…reports Asian Lite News

The UAE-launched air bridge to Libya is continuing to provide relief aid to the Libyan people affected by Hurricane Daniel, in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

To date, 37 aircraft, carrying 815 tonnes of food and medical supplies, shelter materials, as well as first aid supplies, reached Libya, offering support to the areas most affected by the fallout of the disaster, especially eastern Libya. The number of families that benefitted from the UAE-provided aid stands at 7,342.

Powered by cutting-edge equipment and technology, the Emirati team stationed in Libya is steadfast in its efforts to support the most affected.

The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) team, currently present in the stricken areas in Eastern Libya, is also delivering aid to those affected, in addition to assessing the situation on the field and identifying needs to meet them through the ongoing air bridge flights.

The UAE relief campaign in Libya comprises teams from the ERC, the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Foundation.

More than 16,000 children have been displaced in eastern Libya following the catastrophic floods triggered by Storm Daniel, with their psychosocial well-being at stake, the Unicef has said.

Many more children have also been affected due to lack of essential services, such as health, schooling and safe water supply, Xinhua news agency quoted Unicef as saying in a statement.

While the number of children among the casualties is not yet confirmed, the UN body fears hundreds of children may have died in the disaster, given that children account for about 40 per cent of the population, it said.

Significant damage to health and education infrastructure means children once again risk further disruption to their learning and the outbreak of deadly diseases.

Waterborne illnesses are a growing concern due to water supply issues, significant damage to water sources and sewer networks, and the risk of contamination of the groundwater. In Derna alone, 50 percent of water systems are estimated to have been damaged, the UN agency said.

Unicef claimed that it has been actively supporting the children in eastern Libya since day two of the crisis.

Sixty-five metric tonnes of relief supplies have been delivered to affected areas, including medical supplies for 50,000 people for three months, family hygiene kits for almost 17,000 people, 500 children’s winter clothing sets, 200 school-in-a-box kits and 32,000 water purification tablets.

Unicef has also dispatched mobile child protection and psychosocial support teams to help children cope with the emotional toll of the disaster, it said.

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UAE Sends 622 Tonnes of Aid to Libya

The UAE has sent 622 tonnes of humanitarian and relief aid to Libya onboard 28 planes since launching an airlift on 12th September….reports Asian Lite News

The UAE’s air bridge to Libya is still in operation under the directives of the country’s wise leadership, said Sultan Mohammad Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Development and International Organisations Affairs.

“The airbridge is part of the UAE’s relief efforts to stand by Libya and reduce the severity of the humanitarian situation the Libyan people are facing as a result of Storm Daniel,” added Al Shamsi in a statement.

The UAE has sent 622 tonnes of humanitarian and relief aid to Libya onboard 28 planes since launching an airlift on 12th September. The aid has benefited 6,386 families, following the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The UAE aid included food, shelter, medicine and first aid supplies and was distributed in the areas most affected by the disaster, especially eastern Libya. The UAE also dispatched search and rescue teams equipped with modern machinery and equipment to help with the relief efforts.

Al Shamsi emphasized that the UAE’s assistance to Libya is aligned with founding father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy of humanitarianism, which has been continued by the country’s wise leadership.

On this occasion, Al Shamsi also expressed his sincere gratitude to the teams of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), who are currently working in the flood-affected areas of eastern Libya. Hث praised their efforts to deliver aid to those in need, assess the situation on the ground, and identify the most pressing requirements, which will be met through the ongoing airbridge flights from the UAE to Libya.

The UAE’s swift and effective response to the humanitarian crisis in Libya is a testament to its commitment to helping those in need. Within hours of the storm, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered the dispatch of urgent relief aid and search and rescue teams, demonstrating the UAE’s unwavering solidarity with the Libyan people.

In implementation of the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, and Chairman of Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), ordered the ERC to immediately put in place a relief programme to provide and send shelter supplies, food, health care, and other essential needs to the devastated areas.

The ERC is also tasked with dispatching search and rescue teams equipped with helicopters, boats, vehicles specialized in rescue missions, generators, and other equipment. Within this context, the UAE team of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) – the first to reach Derna to carry out such specialised tasks – arrived in Libya on Thursday last week.

ALSO READ: UAE Puts Focus on Global Existential Challenges at UNGA

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VP Orders Creation of Airbridge for Sending Aid to Libya

The catastrophic event has claimed thousands of lives and left many missing…reports Asian Lite News

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has ordered airlifts to facilitate the dispatch of relief aid mobilised by the International Humanitarian City (IHC) to support people affected by the major humanitarian crisis in flood-devastated eastern Libya.Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Chairman of Dubai’s International Humanitarian City, stated, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Libya in the wake of this tragedy. Dubai’s International Humanitarian City reaffirms its dedication to providing assistance to those affected, and we stand ready with our partners to help alleviate their suffering. This activation marks the third humanitarian task force response by the IHC in 2023, in response to unexpected emergency crises events across Middle East and North Africa.”Today, IHC dispatched a second aircraft to the Libyan city of Benghazi transporting approximately 100 tonnes of shelter, food and telecommunications items from the stockpile of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme’s United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) and Fast IT and Telecommunications Emergency and Support Team (FITTEST).Khaled Khalifa, Senior Advisor and UNHCR’s Representative to the GCC countries, lauded the humanitarian role of the UAE, which is a model to follow in providing the needed support to facilitate the work of humanitarian and aid organisations in responding to emergencies in the region and around the world, through their global stockpiles hosted in Dubai.“The humanitarian situation in Libya is catastrophic. The storm and the floods caused massive destruction and great loss of lives and left thousands of people displaced after their homes were destructed and their properties lost, and they became in desperate need of urgent assistance,” he said. “Thanks to the generous support of IHC, UNHCR will be able to continue to provide support to the ongoing relief efforts and deliver the needed supplies to the areas and people most affected by the floods in Libya,” he added.Following the crisis, IHC urgently mobilised resources through its Global Humanitarian Impact Fund to facilitate a humanitarian relief airbridge to help people affected by the devastating impact of Storm Daniel. The catastrophic event has claimed thousands of lives and left many missing.On Saturday morning, the first charter airplane arrived in Benghazi, Libya, carrying over 36 tonnes of crucial relief items from the stocks of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.

“In the face of this tragic disaster, the delivery of 29 metric tonnes of essential medicines, trauma, and emergency surgery supplies to Libya from WHO’s Global Logistics Centre in Dubai’s International Humanitarian City stands as a symbol of regional solidarity. Thanks to the generous support of the government of Dubai and IHC, these supplies will reach over 250,000 people. It exemplifies our shared commitment to WHO’s regional vision of Health for All, by All,” said Dr. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

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Recovery Efforts Begin After Deadly Flooding Hits Eastern Libya

Bathily also underlined the urgency for Libya to have unified and legitimate institutions to respond effectively to all challenges facing the country…reports Asian Lite News

The special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Libya, Abdoulaye Bathily, has stressed the importance of swift, coordinated and united efforts to recover from the floods that hit eastern Libya last week.

Bathily made the remarks in a meeting with President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed Menfi in the capital Tripoli, during which he expressed condolences on behalf of the UN after deadly floods swept the city of Derna and other areas, Bathily wrote on Sunday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The UN envoy said he emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in the use of resources during the recovery and reconstruction process and proposed the establishment of an inclusive mechanism to oversee the recovery efforts, Xinhua news agency reported.

Bathily also underlined the urgency for Libya to have unified and legitimate institutions to respond effectively to all challenges facing the country.

On September 10, Mediterranean storm Daniel triggered the worst floods in Libya in decades, which have so far claimed at least 5,500 lives and left another 10,000 missing, according to official statistics.

Oil-rich Libya has been divided for years between rival administrations in the east and west after the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

ALSO READ-India Evacuates 4 Citizens Stranded in Libya

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India Evacuates 4 Citizens Stranded in Libya

The death toll was revised on Wednesday morning local time, according to health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, Saadeddin Abdul Wakil…reports Asian Lite News

Four Indians stranded in Libya have been evacuated by the Indian Embassy in Tripoli.

The four Indians from Punjab, Haryana, were on Thursday seen off at the Benina Airport by the embassy’s local representative Tabassum Mansoor.

“Four stranded Indians from Punjab and Haryana being seen off by Embassy’s local representative Mrs Tabassum Mansoor at Benina Airport on September 14,” the Indian Embassy in Tunisia and Libya wrote on ‘X’ formerly Twitter on Thursday.

More than 6000 people have lost their lives due to heavy flooding that caused massive devastation across Libya, CNN reported on Wednesday.

The death toll was revised on Wednesday morning local time, according to health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, Saadeddin Abdul Wakil.

According to workers, mortuaries are overflowing in hospitals that are still closed despite the pressing need to treat disaster survivors. As per Egypt’s emigration ministry, the government buried 87 Egyptian victims who died in Libya.

Authorities fear 10,000 more people remain missing, maybe swept out to sea or buried beneath rubble strewn over the metropolis that formerly housed over 100,000 people.

The flooding in Derna has displaced over 30,000 people, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Libya. The extensive damage to the region’s infrastructure has rendered some affected areas inaccessible to humanitarian organisations, CNN reported.

Only two of the seven entry points to Derna are presently open.

Officials are digging amid mountains of wreckage for survivors and bodies in order to honour Islamic traditions that the dead should be buried within three days, according to CNN.

Storm Daniel’s devastation has made it considerably more difficult for rescuers to remove roads and debris in order to find survivors. The storm disrupted communications, complicating rescue attempts and raising concern among family members living outside Libya who are waiting for word on missing loved ones.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed his condolences for those killed in the devastating floods in Libya.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the heavy floods in Libya. Our sympathies are with the families of the victims and with all those affected by the calamity. Express our solidarity with the people of Libya in this difficult time,” posted Jaishankar on X.

Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama has also prayed for the families who have lost their lives in the floods in Libya.

“I pray for those brothers and sisters who have lost their lives and offer my heartfelt condolences to their families, as well as to others affected by this catastrophe,” the Dalai Lama said. The Tibetan spiritual leader further said he is aware that the Libyan authorities and the intern

ational community through several international organisations are offering support to the rescue efforts and providing relief to the affected people.

“Such a show of international concern and assistance will go a long way towards mitigating the effects of this calamity,” he said.

He further said, “As a mark of my solidarity with the people of Libya, the Gaden Phodrang Foundation of the Dalai Lama, is making a donation towards the relief and rescue efforts.” (ANI)

ALSO READ-Arab Nations Unite in Aid for Libya, Morocco

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Arab Nations Unite in Aid for Libya, Morocco

Picture shows UAE aid plane at Benina Airport in Benghazi city in Libya, carrying rescue teams and urgent relief & medical aid. (Photo: WAM)

Five Emirati planes arrived in Benghazi, carrying three rescue teams, urgent relief and medical aid, as part of the air bridge launched by the UAE to provide relief to the Libya…reports Asian Lite News

North Africa has been hit by two devastating disasters within three days, sparking a global outpouring of aid and support. First, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Morocco in the Atlas Mountains, leaving a trail of destruction. Then, catastrophic flooding in crisis-stricken Libya added to the region’s woes.

On Friday, the earthquake wreaked havoc about 70 km south of Marrakech, flattening entire villages and claiming the lives of over 2,900 people, with countless more left homeless. This marked Morocco’s deadliest earthquake since 1960 and the most powerful in over a century. Isolated farming communities in Al-Haouz province found themselves cut off from assistance, prompting a swift international response.

As aid agencies and donor nations mobilised to aid Morocco, another catastrophe unfolded in Libya. Storm Daniel caused two river dams to burst, sending a massive surge of water crashing through the coastal city of Derna. The devastation was immense, with buildings, vehicles, and people swept into the sea. The confirmed death toll exceeded 5,000, while thousands remained missing.

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered aid flights to Morocco and expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan people. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi declared a three-day mourning period and directed military personnel to provide humanitarian aid, including rescue teams, relief supplies, and shelter camps for both Libya and Morocco.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan responded swiftly by dispatching urgent relief and search-and-rescue teams to Libya, sending two aid planes carrying 150 tons of essential supplies.

Later, five Emirati planes arrived at Benina Airport in Benghazi city, carrying three rescue teams, urgent relief and medical aid, as part of the air bridge launched by the UAE to provide relief to the Libyan people.

The 64-member search and rescue team has started their missions with the necessary machinery, equipment and devices. The total number of relief and medical supplies transported by planes from the UAE to Libya reached 200 tonnes.

Kuwait and Jordan also contributed to the relief efforts, with Kuwait sending 40 tons of supplies to Libya and Jordan dispatching a military plane loaded with food, tents, blankets, and mattresses. The international community has rallied to support North Africa during this time of dual crisis.

Meanwhile, UAE’s etisalat by e& announced free calls from UAE networks to Libya as a expression of solidarity to support customers, colleagues and their loved ones affected by the floods demonstrating its commitment to ongoing efforts in the country.

etisalat by e& UAE customers who are Libyan nationals will receive 30 free international minutes to call for a week until 20th September, and while all its customers who are on the roaming network in Libya will benefit from unlimited outgoing minutes and 30 incoming minutes for six days.

This is in line with etisalat by e&’s commitment to supporting UAE government’s flood relief efforts and joining hands to making a lasting impact and bringing stability to the affected communities, according to a statement.

Social responsibility and community support is a core of part of its operations especially at this critical moment where collective actions make a meaningful different in the lives of those affected and work towards recovery and healing, the statement added.

Death toll rises

More than 6000 people have lost their lives due to heavy flooding that caused massive devastation across Libya, reported CNN.

The death toll was revised on Wednesday morning local time, according to health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, Saadeddin Abdul Wakil.

According to workers, mortuaries are overflowing in hospitals that are still closed despite the pressing need to treat disaster survivors. As per Egypt’s emigration ministry, the government buried 87 Egyptian victims who died in Libya.

Authorities fear 10,000 more people remain missing, maybe swept out to sea or buried beneath rubble strewn over the metropolis that formerly housed over 100,000 people.

The flooding in Derna has displaced over 30,000 people, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Libya. The extensive damage to the region’s infrastructure has rendered some affected areas inaccessible to humanitarian organisations, CNN reported.

ALSO READ: Libya Floods: 6,000 Dead, 30,000 Displaced

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UN Deploys Emergency Team to Aid Flood Victims in Libya

The UN humanitarians said search-and-rescue operations continue in Libya, led by national agencies, the military, the Libyan Red Crescent and local volunteers…reports Asian Lite News

The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Libya, Georgette Gagnon, has designated an emergency team to support local authorities and partners following storm Daniel, UN humanitarians said.

A 12-person UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team has been deployed in Libya to support the world body’s response to the massive flooding that has killed thousands of people with thousands more missing, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Wednesday, noting that the UN is responding to calls for assistance and providing aid in the affected areas.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the beginning of a press conference on Wednesday preceding next week’s annual high-level General Assembly session, again expressed his deepest condolences and full solidarity with all those affected by the flooding in Libya and the deadly earthquake in Morocco, Xinhua news agency reported.

“These heart-wrenching disasters have claimed thousands of lives and affected countless families and communities,” he said. 

“The United Nations is mobilising to support relief efforts and we will work in any and every way we can with partners to help get emergency assistance to those who so desperately need it.”

The UN humanitarians said search-and-rescue operations continue in Libya, led by national agencies, the military, the Libyan Red Crescent and local volunteers.

“The lack of accurate and reliable data across affected regions presents a significant challenge; access challenges and conflicting reports from multiple sources further add to the difficulties in coordinating and effectively deploying humanitarian assistance,” OCHA reported earlier on Wednesday in its Flash Update No. 1 report.

According to the report, significant displacement is being observed across affected regions, most notably in Derna, where available data indicates that at least 30,000 individuals were displaced. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, especially in Derna, where accessibility remains a critical challenge due to damaged infrastructure.

The report said critical infrastructure, including healthcare, electricity, buildings, roads and telecommunications, were significantly damaged. However, there is progress in restoring electricity and communications to the affected areas.

“Many international partners indicated their interest to provide emergency response assistance,” OCHA added. 

“The United Nations in Libya is preparing a flash appeal to garner and coordinate international support in response to Libyans’ request for humanitarian assistance.”

Undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths, the UN emergency relief coordinator, announced on Tuesday an initial allocation of $10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to support people affected by the flooding.

ALSO READ-UAE Rescuers Arrive in Libya

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UAE Rescuers Arrive in Libya

Over 5,000 people are presumed dead after two dams collapsed in northeastern Libya due to severe rainfall, dumping more water into already flooded areas….reports Asian Lite News

The United Arab Emirates has sent two aid planes carrying 150 tonnes of urgent food, relief and medical supplies to Benina Airport in Libya to support those affected by the devastating floods caused by the heavy rains, which resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries.

The UAE’s response is part of its air bridge to provide urgent relief aid to those in need and those affected by floods in Libya.

The relief is an extension of the UAE’s humanitarian efforts in the international arena and its approach to extending a helping hand to underprivileged communities worldwide.

The UAE search and rescue team arrived earlier at Benghazi Airport. This initiative comes in implementation of the directives of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to send urgent relief aid and search and rescue teams to Libya.

The UAE search and rescue team has swung into action immediately after its arrival. The team includes 34 individuals equipped with the necessary machinery and equipment to perform its tasks.

The 34-member team is classified in the “Heavy” category, which is an international license approved by the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) that allows the team to conduct search and rescue operations regionally and internationally in accordance with the requirements, standards and procedures followed in this regard.

The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) has already begun implementing a relief programme to provide large shipments of shelter, food and medical supplies, and other necessities to Libyans in the most severely affected areas.

Death toll over 5,000

Over 5,000 people are presumed dead after two dams collapsed in northeastern Libya due to severe rainfall, dumping more water into already flooded areas, reported CNN.

During a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Tamer Ramadan, the leader of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Libya expressed grief over the situation and gave the numbers of those missing.

“The death toll is huge,” she said.

The interior ministry of Libya’s eastern government announced on Tuesday that at least 5,300 people were killed, according to state broadcaster LANA, reported CNN.

According to Othman Abduljalil, health minister in Libya’s eastern administration, as many as 6,000 persons remain missing in the eastern city of Derna, which has suffered the worst of the devastation.

When he toured the city on Monday, he described the situation as “catastrophic.”

Authorities suspect that entire neighbourhoods in the city have been wiped away. Hospitals in Derna are no longer operational, and mortuaries are packed, according to Osama Aly, a spokeswoman for the Emergency and Ambulance Service.

He informed CNN that dead bodies had been put on the pavements outside mortuaries.

Videos on social media showed drowned cars, collapsed buildings, and torrents of water surging across streets. Storm Daniel swept away entire areas and ruined homes in a number of coastal towns, with the city of Derna “cut off completely” after two old dams burst.

This rain is the consequence of the leftovers of a very strong low-pressure system, officially called Storm Daniel by southeastern Europe’s national meteorological organisations, according to CNN.

Last week, the storm caused devastating flooding in Greece before moving into the Mediterranean and transforming into a tropical-like cyclone known as a medicane.

According to media reports, assistance and rescue efforts started to reach Derna on Tuesday, more than 36 hours after the disaster hit the coastal city. The floods had either severely damaged or completely destroyed numerous access roads leading to the city, which is home to approximately 89,000 residents.

Meanwhile, Tamer Ramadan, told the UN meeting on Tuesday that he believed there were still at least 10,000 people unaccounted for in the flood-hit areas.

The catastrophic event was triggered by a Mediterranean storm that made landfall in eastern Libya on Sunday, resulting in widespread flooding and causing extensive damage to infrastructure along its path.

President of the Libyan Presidency Council Mohamed Menfi on Monday called for international assistance to help with the aftermath of the floods, declaring the cities of Derna, Al-Bayda, and Shahhat as areas in dire need of assistance.

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UAE Rushes To Aid Libya Amid Deadly Floods

The storm made landfall in eastern Libya on Sunday, triggering flooding and destroying facilities along its path…reports Asian Lite News

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed to send urgent relief aid and search and rescue teams to Libya to support its efforts in mitigating the repercussions of the floods caused by Storm Daniel, which resulted in numerous deaths and injuries, and caused severe damage.

His Highness expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to the State of Libya, its people and the families of the victims of this tragedy, wishing a speedy recovery for all the injured.

During the phone calls to Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, and Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces, the UAE President reaffirmed the UAE’s solidarity with Libya and its people during these dire circumstances, as well as providing various forms of support to enhance the country’s efforts in meeting the needs of Libyan people.

More than 2,000 people have died and about 6,000 others are reportedly missing in Libya after torrential rain brought by storm Daniel triggered the collapse of two dams which swept entire neighborhoods into the sea.

Speaking to a local TV channel on Monday, Osama Hammad, the eastern-based Prime Minister of Libya, confirmed the toll in “catastrophic” floods that hit eastern Libya on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Hammad said most of the casualties were reported in the port city of Derna, where “the entire neighborhoods were swept away”.

He called on medical personnel and rescue teams nationwide to provide assistance to the city, while the eastern-based Deputy Prime Minister Ali al-Gatrani has appealed for international aid .

Local authorities have declared three days of mourning for the victims.

The storm made landfall in eastern Libya on Sunday, triggering flooding and destroying facilities along its path.

Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah, the prime minister of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, on Sunday instructed relevant authorities to remain on high alert and take measures to deal with the storm, vowing to “protect the people and ease the damage”.

President of the Libyan Presidency Council, Mohamed Menfi, also called for international assistance to cope with the aftermath of the deadly floods.

“We call on the brotherly and friendly countries and the international organisations to provide assistance and support for the disaster areas,” Menfi said in a statement on Monday.

He declared Derna, Al-Bayda and Shahhat as stricken cities, and called on the people to abide by the instructions of the authorities “to overcome this crisis”.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Libyan Red Crescent Society have started to offer urgent assistance to those affected by the disaster.

Libya, a country of six million people, has been dividedbetween rival administrations in the east and west since 2014, following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising against late dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Each administration is backed by armed groups and militias.

ALSO READ-Deadly Flooding in Libya, Over 2,000 Dead, 6,000 Missing”