More than a week after the deadly Storm Daniel struck eastern Libya, the Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed today that five members of a Greek humanitarian aid team were killed in a traffic accident in Libya on Sunday – as foreign search and rescue teams begin to return home.
The traffic accident occurred when the Greek team of 19 were on their way from Benghazi to Derna. Fourteen of the Greek team were injured. He declared three days of national mourning in the Greek Armed Forces.
The news was first aired on social media and was first confirmed by the Minister of Health in the eastern-based Libyan government during a press conference Sunday. The accident involved a Libyan family of five, three of whom also died.
Commenting on the news, Tripoli-based Libyan Prime Minister Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba said, ‘‘I offer my condolences to the Greek government and the families of the victims of the traffic accident.
Our prayers for a speedy recovery for those injured in this accident’’.
Maltese search and rescue team return home
The Maltese Embassy in Tripoli confirmed that its nation’s Search and Rescue Team had returned to Malta after aiding the people of Derna. The Embassy conveyed its gratitude to the team for their work and dedication and said Malta stands in solidarity with Libya.
Spanish rescue team returns home
Prime Minister Aldabaiba also conveyed his thanks to the Spanish search and rescue team upon their return home. ‘‘All appreciation to the Spanish rescue team that announced the end of its work in Derna and Sousse, thanking them for their volunteer efforts in coordination with the Emergency Medicine and Support Centre, and appreciating the continued work of the rest of the rescue teams that came to help from various countries’’, he said.
NCDC launches vaccination drive in Derna
Domestically, focus is now realistically focusing on dealing with the living rather than on search and rescue for possible dead or trapped.
Libya’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced a state of community emergency for a year against the possibility of the spread of disease in the areas of eastern Libya affected by Storm Daniel. It launched a vaccination campaign in the city of Derna, targeting workers in relief, rescue and service teams, in addition to children residing in areas affected by floods in the eastern region.
It warned that only bottled water should be drank brought in from outside the city and reported that the few diarrhoea cases reported were now declining. It clarified that dead bodies buried under earth and rubble are not a source of disease.
Psychiatric help for Derna
Psychiatric specialists at Tripoli’s specialist Al-Razi Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases have announced the opening of a psychiatric clinic within the city of Derna, after conducting a medical convoy that includes health and social specialists, doctors, and specialized nurses in mental health, and specialized medicine shipments.
The Director of Al-Razi Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Mohamed Ghawar, stated that the clinic opened in Derna on the third day after the disaster occurred, in coordination with the Central Emergency Room in the eastern region. He said specialists are working to minimise the effects of psychological trauma among many survivors, which appear through symptoms of sadness, extreme tension, anger, and despair.
Psychiatric help hotline set up in Tripoli
He added that a psychiatric room has been formed inside the hospital in Tripoli, operating 24 hours a day, and can be reached via a communications hotline, to receive displaced cases from Derna to the city of Tripoli, who need mental health care.
Benghazi dam checked and given all clear
The failure of the two dams in Derna has sparked the Libyan authorities into thinking about other dams in the country. The state Housing and Infrastructure Board reported yesterday that a team inspected Benghazi’s Wadi Al-Gattara Dam and its crossing until the Al-Hawari Road intersection.
The inspection, it added, reviewed all aspects of the dam from the structural, mechanical and electrical aspects, and the safety of its services. It said the technical report confirmed that it is ‘‘in good condition’’ and ‘‘only needs regular periodic maintenance’’.
Wadi Gattara Dam is located 33 kilometres east of Benghazi. It was built in 1968 and was completed in 1971. In 1979, severe floods destroyed the dam. The main dam was rehabilitated and repaired, and the secondary dam was replaced between 2000 and 2004, at a cost estimated at 30 million dollars.
Temporary bridges installed in Derna
Following the destruction of the permanent five bridges and five culverts linking eastern and western Derna by the Storm Daniel floods, the Man-Made River Authority announced the start of construction of a temporary bridge to reconnect the two halves of the city.
The Man-Made River Authority also reported that it still continuing their work and efforts to repair and open alternative paths and roads in a number of other cities and regions affected by Storm Daniel.
More EU aid released
The EU has announced that it has released €5.2 million in humanitarian funding, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today.
OCHA’s relief website said as needs in Libya are dramatically rising, the EU is strengthening its support to the country by releasing €5.2 million in humanitarian funding.
The funding will be channelled through EU humanitarian partners active in the country, enabling them to strengthen assistance with a focus on shelter, health, food, water, sanitation and hygiene, and protection.
From the total amount, €200,000 are for the Disaster Response Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in support of the Libya Red Crescent Society.
This new release brings total humanitarian funding allocated for the emergency to over €5.7 million.
Furthermore, it revealed that the European Union continues to provide in-kind assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. So far eight EU Member States have offered assistance to Libya (Germany,
Romania, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and a new offer from Austria) via the Mechanism.
The Emergency Response Coordination Centre has also deployed a team of experts and a liaison officer to support ground operations, in addition to making available environmental expertise.
In the immediate aftermath of the emergency, the EU released €500,000 in humanitarian funding and channelled offers from EU Member States through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. In-kind assistance and other vital support already reached some of the most affected areas in eastern Libya, OCHA reported.
South Korea to contribute US$ 2 million in aid
In a similar vein, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement yesterday that it will provide two million dollars in humanitarian aid to Libya as part of the Storm Daniel efforts.
The aid will be sent to Libya through the United Nations OCHA and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
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)
