The international community is rallying around Libya, which suffered from terrible flooding after the collapse of two dams in Derna: the number of victims has now exceeded 6,000. The first Italian rescue team has also arrived. Prime Minister Georgia Meloni guarantees full support for a country “divided” into two parts
“A disaster of epic proportions”: these are the words used to describe the aftermath of Hurricane Daniel, which hit eastern Libya and the port city of Derna in Cyrenaica, where two dams collapsed over the weekend.
ADVERTISINGRescue teams have discovered thousands of bodies under the rubble and there are fears the death toll could rise sharply, with 10,000 people still missing.
More than 6,000 people are believed to have died in Derna alone, with entire neighborhoods demolished and many bodies dragged into the sea.
And now risk of cholera epidemic.
“Unfortunately, half of our people, maybe 90% of our people, drowned. My aunt’s whole house is lost, my other aunt’s whole house is destroyed, my cousin’s house is destroyed. This is genocide!” exclaims a resident of Derna.
Aid began to pour in from many countries, including Italy, coordinated by the United Nations, and even Egypt, but relief efforts were hampered by the situation in Libya, where the country was literally split in two politically.
Meloni: double call to Italian support
Prime Minister of Italy Georgia Meloni he assured Libya of full support – the first Italian rescue team is already on the spot – while speaking on the phone with the Prime Minister of Tripoli, Abdul Hamid ad-Dabaibastrong man of Cyrenaica, general Khalifa Haftar.
The team announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister landed in Libya from ItalyAntonio Tajani. “It consists of members of our Department of Civil Protection, the National Fire Brigade, the Joint Forces Summit Operations Command and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said. “It will operate, in consultation with local authorities, in areas devastated by Hurricane Daniel.”
The Libyan side has launched an investigation into why floods caused by Hurricane Daniel could have caused such destruction.
The failure to adequately rebuild and maintain infrastructure, including dams, after years of political conflict is partly responsible for the very high death toll.
Help from all over the world
American President Joe Biden announced that the US was “directing emergency funds to humanitarian organizations and coordinating with Libyan authorities and the United Nations to provide further support.”
Russia is also ready to “provide the necessary assistance.” Vladimir Putin.
European Union through the President of the Council of the EU Charles Michelsaid she was “ready to help people affected by this disaster” and spoke about the “heartbreaking footage.”
ADVERTISINGUN humanitarian envoy says Martin Griffiths, mobilizes emergency teams. Three planeloads of humanitarian aid and personnel sent by Turkey are already in Libya, and Algeria has arranged for eight military planes to deliver essential goods.
France, for its part, decided to send a civil protection field hospital.