Deadly flash floods caused by Hurricane-strength Storm Daniel struck Libya on September 10, resulting in significant devastation, with at least 4,000 people killed and thousands more missing. The United Nations Humanitarian Agency (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) has issued a flash appeal for more than $71 million to provide urgent assistance to those in need, with the expectation that the death toll will continue to rise.
The city of Derna, one of the hardest-hit areas, suffered extensive damage when two upstream dams burst, causing estimates to suggest that 30 percent of the city may have disappeared. With most roads collapsed, local authorities are calling for the establishment of a sea corridor for relief and evacuations.
The seaside town of Sousse remains submerged, and the overall situation is described as “catastrophic.” The humanitarian appeal aims to address the most urgent needs of 250,000 people out of an estimated 884,000 individuals in need of assistance.
UN OCHA head Martin Griffiths has announced an immediate emergency fund of $10 million to address the crisis. Many countries, including the United States, European Union, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and others, have sent or pledged aid, while foreign rescue teams are working to search for survivors and recover bodies in the affected areas.