The EU will provide emergency assistance following yesterday’s request for international assistance received from the Libyan government at the UN Office in Geneva. Severe flooding has caused thousands of casualties.
EU member states, Germany, Romania and Finland, offered assistance in the form of tents, field beds and blankets, 80 generators, food, as well as hospital tents and water tanks immediately after the incident.
The EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre is ready to coordinate further assistance offers.
Moreover, the EU has allocated an initial 500,000 euros in humanitarian funding to meet the most urgent needs of people in Libya affected by the aftermath of Storm Daniel. The funds will be used to provide life-saving medical supplies, water and sanitation for flood relief in eastern Libya.
Last weekend, a terrible storm and torrential rain hit eastern Libya, causing widespread flooding. Two dams collapsed in Derna, where flood water washed away entire neighborhoods, destroyed bridges, damaged roads and other vital infrastructure.
According to preliminary estimates, more than 5,000 people died as a result of the floods, 9,800 went missing and 20,000 became internally displaced.
Libya is also receiving assistance from other EU sources for development and early recovery. As part of an integrated approach, the EU’s humanitarian and development departments work together to ensure a link between short-term emergency assistance and long-term development assistance. Most of the aid is aimed at healthcare.
