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Africa
What you need to know about the floods in Libya
The disaster has made life even more difficult for refugees and internally displaced people in Libya.
Africa
The disaster has made life even more difficult for refugees and internally displaced people in Libya.
“It is one of the worst disasters I have ever witnessed with unfathomable levels of destruction.”
The devastation caused by Storm Daniel in Libya is staggering. Thousands have died, and more than 800,000 people need humanitarian assistance.
Storm Daniel hit eastern Libya on 10-11 September, causing catastrophic floods and devastating several cities.
Homes were submerged under water, roads were destroyed and water sources are contaminated, making it unsafe for people to drink.
The worst affected city is Derna, where two dams collapsed and swept away entire neighbourhoods.
“It is one of the worst disasters I have ever witnessed with unfathomable levels of destruction,” said Rana Ksaifi, UNHCR Assistant Chief of Mission in Libya. “The search and rescue teams continue to try to save lives, but the situation is far from being stable. These people need shelter, clean water, food and necessities, in addition to counselling and psychological support to carry on and survive.”
The UN refugee agency is providing life-saving aid to those in need.
With your help, UNHCR is on the ground distributing emergency supplies including blankets, tarpaulins, kitchen sets and hygiene kits. Our teams are also providing psychological support for flood survivors and delivering shelter, medicine and power generators to affected communities.
More than 50 tonnes of relief items arrived in the country last week from UNHCR’s global stockpile in Dubai.
Amidst the devastation, UNHCR continues to send more staff and supplies to reach vulnerable families. Your support ensures we can deliver emergency aid to where it is most needed.
Approximately 50,000 refugees and asylum-seekers are registered with UNHCR in Libya, including over 1,000 living in the affected areas prior to the floods. Additionally, some 46,000 Internally Displaced People (IDPs) were hosted in eastern Libya before the floods. Together, they are among the most vulnerable in the wake of this disaster.
UNHCR teams are contacting registered refugees and asylum-seekers living in affected areas to assess their situation.
We have also established an emergency hotline to assist refugees affected by the flooding.
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