Libya floods: Food packs and hot meals reaching survivors

Islamic Relief is working closely with local partners to provide food packs and hot meals to survivors of catastrophic flooding in Libya. So far, 1,400 families have received a food pack, while hot meals have been served to 2,000 people per day since 18 September.

The food packs include staple items such as oil, milk, flour, and sugar to help families affected by the flooding prepare simple meals. IRW is also providing blankets and cooking utensils.

The partners on the ground are carrying out life-saving work in this time of crisis and the organization is asking for support to help fund this vital work.

Displacement and disease

More than a week after the disaster, the full scale of the damage is still coming to light. On 11 September, 2 dams near the coastal city of Derna burst, sending floodwaters sweeping through the streets.

An eyewitness described seeing cars floating down streets and a man clinging to the top of a streetlamp to escape the water. One eyewitness said waves reached as high as the fourth floor of a building they were in.

Some 4,000 people have been officially confirmed dead, but many media sources are reporting a significantly higher figure. The death toll is expected to keep rising as bodies continue to be recovered from the rubble and the sea. According to official reports, over 10,100 people are displaced and the damage to buildings and infrastructure has been severe.

The flooding, which came after Storm Daniel made landfall in Libya, has raised fears of a spike in waterborne diseases. Contamination of the water supply has caused more than 50 children to become ill, according to Libya’s National Centre for Disease Control.

Generous support

IRW has seen a hugely generous response from around the world since the launch of the emergency appeal.

The support helps the organization to reach people in desperate need through the local partners. Many families and individuals in Derna and the surrounding areas have lost everything and face the prospect of having to rebuild their lives while grappling with deep grief.

Islamic Relief is closely monitoring the situation to help meet the changing needs of flood-affected communities.