Libya: A medical official confirms that 20,000 deaths were recorded as a result of Hurricane “Daniel”
Search and rescue operations for victims of Hurricane “Daniel” that swept through the cities of eastern Libya have entered their third day in a row, with the participation of local, Arab and international search and rescue teams, with a continuous increase in human and material losses. Meanwhile, the director of Al Bayda Medical Center, Abdel Rahim Maziq, said The numbers indicate that there were 20,000 deaths as a result of the floods, which caused the remains of the dead to emerge from the cemeteries, which portends an environmental disaster, while hospitals are no longer able to accommodate the bodies of the victims.
Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, the official spokesman for the National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the number of victims had reached more than seven thousand dead, warning that the number may increase rapidly despite the continuing search and rescue operation. He stressed the continued arrival of relief convoys and local support from Arab, international and local countries to the affected areas, noting the success of attempts to reach the stricken areas to provide humanitarian support and help meet their needs.
But Al-Mismari revealed, on the other hand, that there are many challenges: “The most important of which is the destruction of all roads connecting cities and villages, and thus the difficulty of reaching the affected areas, which slows down search and rescue operations.”
On the other hand, Al-Manfi considered that responsibility “necessitates us to seek international assistance from all countries and organizations without exception, as the disaster is enormous and greater than Libya’s capabilities,” pointing to continued communication with all activities in the east of the country to benefit from the capabilities available to provide relief to those affected.
Al-Manfi received two phone calls from King Abdullah II of Jordan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to offer his condolences to the victims of the hurricane. He reported from an Algerian delegation, which he met on Tuesday evening, headed by Interior Minister Ibrahim Murad, that Algeria had begun sending important humanitarian aid to Libya via a bridge. An air force consisting of 8 aircraft belonging to the Algerian army, represented by specialized rescue teams, food and medical materials, clothing and tents, assuring him of the commitment of the Algerian leadership and people to unconditional and unlimited solidarity with the Libyan people.
Al-Manfi had received a phone call on Tuesday evening from the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to offer his condolences for the victims of Hurricane Daniel, pointing to El-Sisi’s assertion that Egypt will put all its capabilities at the service of the afflicted, by providing urgent humanitarian and food support to those affected. They expressed their Their hope is that this ordeal will unite the political leaders, just like the unity of the Libyan people, in facing the challenges.
Tariq Al-Kharaz, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior in the “stability” government, also announced that the number of victims had exceeded 6,000, explaining that the number was likely to increase, and that the humanitarian situation in Derna “needs an international appeal and support from neighboring countries and friendly countries.”
The media official at the Ministry of Interior, Muhammad Abu Lamoucha, had informed the Libyan News Agency that the number of deaths in Derna had exceeded 5,300, explaining that there were thousands missing as a result of the disaster. While the mayor of Shahat Municipality, Hussein Mahmoud, confirmed that about 600 homes were damaged by 100 percent, forcing their owners to leave them, pointing out that the situation is bad, and that “measures are slow in resolving the bottlenecks, as there are many promises, but nothing on the ground.”
Prayers in absentia for the victims of the hurricane in Tripoli, in the presence of Al-Dabaiba on Tuesday (the “unity” government)
For his part, the mayor of the Municipality of the Green Mountain Coast, Faraj Bou Al-Tawila, declared the municipality a disaster area as a result of Hurricane Daniel, and confirmed that they had not received any assistance from the two governments in the work of retrieving bodies from the sea.
But Al-Dabaiba said in a press conference yesterday (Tuesday) that his country is evaluating international aid offers to determine what is needed, as necessary, and to ensure coordination in rescue efforts. Denying the need for food aid, medicines, or ambulances, he explained that what is required is the provision of advanced equipment to help search for victims and recover bodies.
For its part, the Information and Mobilization Department of the National Army announced the continued arrival of relief and support convoys from all regions of the west and south of the country to the east, with the aim of contributing to relief and rescue work in the areas affected by Hurricane “Daniel”, which struck the cities and regions of Jabal Al Akhdar.
The Army Media Division broadcast video clips showing the extent of the destruction caused by the hurricane in the city of Derna, in addition to search operations for the stranded and missing persons by military and security units and rescue teams inside the damaged buildings and homes and under the rubble in the neighborhoods of the city of Derna.
In this context, the Dabaiba government said that it had received many messages of solidarity and condolence from friendly countries, and had also sent requests for assistance from several countries, noting that it had confirmed before starting to receive any aid that food and medicine were available in Libya, and that what it needed was It is the specialized teams that deal with hurricanes and floods, and the rescue and inspection teams. In this context, Mohamed Hamouda, its official spokesman, explained that work is underway to grant landing permits, explaining that the process is taking place gradually to ensure coordination and real benefit from any support.
The head of the United Nations mission, Abdullah Batili, expressed his deep sadness over the disastrous effects of Hurricane Daniel on eastern Libya, and praised the efforts of rescue teams from all members of society, considering the situation “catastrophic and the needs enormous.”
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2023-09-13 19:56:54
