2023-09-14 19:46:54
Rescue services and international missions already in the country continued, this Thursday, desperatelylooking for survivors a Herethe city most affected by the tragic floods which affected the northeast of Libya this week. But there is not much hope left. The time to find people still alive, trapped under the rubble, is running out, many humanitarian workers confess.
What is urgent now is the recovery of the bodiesmany of which lie abandoned in the streets and are decaying. A terrifying scenario that also adds to the disturbing threat of mines and unexploded ordnance (of the brutal Civil War experienced by the country) what the water has moved and that they could now appear anywhere, as international organizations have warned.
“The destruction is like that (caused) by an earthquake and a bombing at the same time,” says Tommasso Della Longo, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, to EL PERIÓDICO. “The big problem, moreover, is infrastructure. Some schools and public buildings have been enabled, however there are not enough shelters for all the displaced, and several hospitals have been destroyed or damaged”, he adds.
Limit situation
Lack of water, lack of food, lack of waterpotable. And dangers abound. The flood “has moved unexploded munitions to areas previously free of weapons contamination”, said Erik Tollefsen, head of the demining team of the International Committee of the Red Cross. “This means a risk greater for survivors and for those providing humanitarian assistance,” added Tollefsen.
A borderline situation that, at the moment, is also having unexpected effects, like the unusual collaboration between the two opposing governments that the country has: this onethe area affected and controlled by General Khalifa Haftar’s militiamen, and that of Tripolirecognized by the UN and most Western countries.
Precisely this last Government has requested a l’HIM that coordinates the efforts on the ground -a difference from what Morocco did-, as a source from the organization confirmed to this newspaper. With this, the UN also pledged to allocate approximately 10 million dollars to support the survivors of Daniel, the cyclone that caused the floods.
International aid
In addition to this, in less than two days (entering Libya is generally very complicated due to the visa requirement), more than 20 planes loaded with aidmaterials and personnel, as reported by the digital newspaper Libya Herald. They come from countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, France, Italy, SpainJapan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malta, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
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Spain, for example, has mobilized both groups of firefighters and humanitarian workers from various non-governmental organizations. On the other hand, the united states they have announced the delivery of more than one million dollars for the emergency. While Italythe colonial power of Libya, has sent to the area the San Giorgio shipafter that, already in the past days, back of C-130J aircraft Italians would bring humanitarian assistance to the country.
Those affected, in truth, are many. In addition to the thousands who have died (6,000 dead in Derna alone, according to the latest data provided by the local authorities), at least 36,000 people have lost their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). And of these, 30,000 are displaced from Derna, 3,000 from Al-Bayda, 1,000 from Al-Mukhaili and 2,085 from Benghazi, according to the same source.
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