Libya floods: What is MSF doing?

Floodings in Derna
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15 Sep 2023
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Libya has suffered catastrophic and deadly flooding in the wake of Storm Daniel.

In the eastern city of Derna, where the rain triggered the collapse of two dams, entire neighbourhoods have been swept away leaving behind staggering death and destruction.

Here alone, it’s reported that up to 20,000 people may have died while a further 30,000 are estimated to have been displaced.

 

What is MSF doing?

  • Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) does not currently run any projects in the areas of  Libya affected by the flooding. However, we have now deployed an emergency team to Derna and dispatched critical medical supplies.
     
  • The first emergency team – made up of expert medical and logistical staff –has arrived yesterday evening from Misrata to Tobruk. Conditions are challenging and the city has been split in two, between east and west, by the torrent of floodwaters.
     
  • We are in close contact with the Libyan Red Crescent and are donating urgently needed items to help treat the wounded. This includes 450 medical and casualty care kits comprised of essential supplies such as wound dressings, disinfectants, antibiotics, gloves and masks. We have also supplied 400 body bags for the large number of deceased.
     
  • Given the scale of the disaster, we expect healthcare facilities to have been damaged and need urgent restoration and support to ensure access to medical care for people caught up in the disaster.