CAIRO, September 15. /TASS/. Nearly 40,000 people have been displaced as a result of heavy rain and floods that hit the northeastern regions of Libya, the Libyan office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a report posted on its official page on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
According to the report, the cities of Derna (at least 30,000), Bayda (3,000) and Benghazi (2,195) have the largest number of displaced people. Some of them are temporarily living in old school buildings, others are staying with relatives or families who have agreed to take them in. It emphasizes that the numbers quoted appear to be understated due to "the limited data available."
There is an acute shortage of drinking water and fuel in all the affected towns, as well as disruptions in communications and power supply, the report says. The situation in Derna is the most difficult. There is only one health facility in the eastern part of the city, but even there, shortages of staff, equipment and medicines (especially antibiotics and medications for chronic diseases) exist.
Cyclone Daniel struck northeastern Libya on September 10, bringing gale force winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms to cities along the Mediterranean coast. The city of Derna has been most seriously affected. Two dams have been destroyed there. The destruction of the dams near Derna is the main cause of casualties in the region. According to the Libyan Red Crescent, the death toll exceeds 11,000.