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Libya floods: Level of destruction is unfathomable, says UN refugee agency

As UN humanitarian responders continue their work in the worst-hit areas of Derna after two dams collapsed upstream of the coastal city of Derna, the magnitude of the disaster continues to unfold, they said on Tuesday.

“The situation on the ground is catastrophic,” said Rana Ksaifi, Assistant Chief of Mission in Libya for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

“I have been a humanitarian worker for over 19 years, and this is one of the worst disasters that I have witnessed. The level of destruction is unfathomable. I saw houses, schools, buildings, shops submerged, and some were completely destroyed and wiped out. Thousands of individuals have lost everything, not least their loved ones.”

According to the Libyan Red Crescent, over 11,000 people are reported dead so far, with a further 10,100 missing. These figures are expected to increase as clean-up operations get under way and standing water recedes.

Humanitarians remain deeply concerned about the new wave of displacement caused by the floods.

“Approximately 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers are registered with the UNHCR in Libya, including over 1,000 who are living in the areas affected by the floods prior to the floods. Additionally, some 46,000 internally displaced persons were hosted in the eastern parts of Libya before the floods,” said Ms. Ksaifi, speaking from Benghazi to reporters in Geneva.

The needs for healthcare, mental health services and household goods for the homeless, as well as logistical support are enormous.

“The immediate needs, of course, are for safe water, hygiene kits and accommodation, including the reopening of the schools for this academic year so children can have a bit of normality back in their lives,” said Ms. Ksaifi. “Then, of course, we need to help people as they confront the deep psychological scars that this devastating storm has left them in. All of this is going to happen while the cities continue to be rebuilt for years to come.”

The UNHCR official noted that her immediate tasks included taking reception of 53 tonnes of relief items from the agency’s aid hub in the United Arab Emirates, which was due to land in Benghazi.

Echoing concern about the sheer scale of the disaster and describing the situation in Derna as “unprecedented humanitarian crisis”, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Libya, Christopher Laker, emphasized that access to the affected areas remained “fairly limited”. For the moment, the authorities have prioritized search and rescue and ultimately recovery of the dead. “Some are still under collapsed buildings. Others are still out at sea,” he told journalists via Zoom.

Mr. Laker added that 97 per cent of some neighbourhoods had been “washed away” after the dams had collapsed. He highlighted the urgent need for maintenance of Libya’s water reservoirs and dams, and said that UNDP teams would be supporting the authorities with infrastructure assessments.

UNDP has decades of crisis experience in the region and around the world to support the removal of debris and rubble, socio-economic assessments and livelihoods support while providing immediate assistance to plan solution to address the longer-term consequences of the crisis.

“While immediate relief is crucial, early recovery is equally vital, and the planning should start now,” Mr. Laker said/ “Our goal is to assist Derna and the affected cities and municipalities in recovery. Debris and rubble removal is essential for creating corridors for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, essential for restoring infrastructure, creating safe living conditions, and enabling the communities to rebuild and recover.”

Reconstruction masterplans exist for Benghazi and Derna, led by the UNDP-partnered Construction Fund for Benghazi and Derna. In the wake of the disaster, UNDP has said that it intends adapt this project to prioritize restoring damaged buildings and roads.

“The UNDP is taking steps to support the Benghazi Donor Construction fund, which has been assigned by the Government in Tripoli to act as the main conduit for assistance to support the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in response to the floods,” Mr. Laker said.

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Libya floods: Update humanitarian situation - UNHCR, UNDP

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