The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is providing initial support of 15 million Swedish Krona (SEK) (US$ 1.35 million) for life-saving activities in the form of food provision, medicines and other essential emergency items to support survivors in Libya’s Storm Daniel disaster.
Libya has immense assistance needs
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said yesterday the needs for assistance in Libya are immense after the country was hit hard by Storm Daniel, which caused widespread flooding.
“Our cooperation partners on the ground are currently focused on saving lives by distributing various emergency items, but psychosocial support is also a key priority. They are also assisting rescue services with logistics and resources. This includes current urgent response efforts to provide support to authorities in the management of dead bodies,” says Sida’s Director of Humanitarian Assistance Jakob Wernerman.
Around 884 000 people in need of humanitarian assistance
The Swedish Foreign Ministry explained that several cities in eastern Libya have been particularly affected. The quantity of water caused two dams above the city of Derna to collapse, which created a flood wave that washed away entire neighbourhoods. A quarter of the city has been completely destroyed.
The disaster has claimed a large number of human lives, and around 10,000 people are still missing. Some 43,000 people have been forced to flee the floods and become homeless. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that a total of 884 000 people are in need of humanitarian assistance in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, the delivery of emergency supplies is extremely challenging, as roads and bridges leading to these areas have been destroyed.
Risk of disease outbreaks
Moreover, the Foreign Ministry continued, organisations are warning of the risk of explosive remnants of war being displaced by the floods. The risk of disease outbreaks, due to the lack of clean water and food, is also imminent.
“This tragedy is a reminder of the effects of the climate crisis and how severe the consequences of natural disasters are when they hit communities that are already vulnerable, with weak infrastructure, inadequate maintenance and low preparedness in a politically unstable and conflict-ridden environment,” says Mr Wernerman.
Sweden’s contribution will go to the Red Cross
The Swedish Foreign Ministry revealed that Sida has allocated SEK 15 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to rapidly respond to the urgent needs in Libya. In cooperation with the Libyan Red Crescent, the ICRC is working with rescue operations, management of dead bodies, and ensuring access to health services, emergency items and medicines.
Of the total amount, SEK 2.475 million is being allocated to Action Against Hunger to provide drinking water, sanitation and hygiene articles, assistance for people who have fled to temporary accommodation, and mental health and psychosocial support.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) – one of Sida’s partners – has seconded an environmental expert to the EU team that is leading needs assessments.
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UN’s Derna overview: Officially, only 3,958 confirmed dead and 40,000 displaced (libyaherald.com)
EU Copernicus satellite images of Flood Daniel hit Libya released (libyaherald.com)
Conflicting news over ending of Search and Rescue for survivors in Derna (libyaherald.com)
UNSG Guterres calls for opening of investigations into collapse of Derna dams (libyaherald.com)
Derna update: International aid continues to arrive, infrastructure damage update (libyaherald.com)
Latest UN satellite imagery shows extent of Storm Daniel destruction in Derna (libyaherald.com)
More than 5,300 dead and 10,000 missing in Derna disaster (libyaherald.com)
More than 2,000 dead and thousands missing after Storm Daniel hit eastern Libya (libyaherald.com)
Libya hit by storm Daniel with eastern region suffering worse damage (libyaherald.com)
