Tripoli, 3 May 2013:
Emergency supplies, including tents, mattresses and food, have been flown to the south-east of the country, after flooding damaged properties and forced hundreds of people to flee their homes.
The floods, caused by some of the heaviest rains in some 30 years, have left at least five people dead and many more injured, in areas some 900 km south of Tripoli. Immralanib, Majdol, Tarpo, Zaolya and Humera are among the towns most affected.
The UN refugee agency UNHCR estimates that at least 3,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, including 25 families who had previously been displaced by fighting between government and rebel forces in the Kufra region.
With many roads impassable after sustaining flood damage, the Ministry of Defence has flown aid supplies donated by Libyan and international aid organisations to the region.
UNHCR donated 350 tents as temporary shelter for displaced families and the Libyan Red Crescent and Local NGOs, including LibAid and the Libyan Humanitarian Aid Mission, sent blankets, mattresses, food and clothing.
“Many houses collapsed, sometimes killing the people inside. The rain swept away whole houses,” said a senior protection assistant with UNHCR, Mohamed Akelah. “Families are in desperate need of assistance.”
He said that further supplies, including food and medicine, were needed. UNHCR said it was looking at ways to provide further help to the region. [/restrict]
