Over the weekend of September 9, a slow-moving weather system in the Mediterranean called Storm Daniel struck the northeastern part of Libya, causing severe flooding that the government called “catastrophic and unprecedented,” and that it said has so far led to the deaths of more than 5,000 people. Tens of thousands are missing or displaced.
The storm, which in some areas dumped 30 times more rain in several days than the region usually gets in the month of September, has burst dams and caused extensive damage, submerging and in some instances sweeping away entire neighborhoods.
International Medical Corps has a history in Libya reaching back to 2011, and currently provides healthcare, mental health and gender-based violence response services and training to vulnerable people in the country, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees.
Our in-country team is assessing the situation, and already is responding by focusing on such immediate needs as shelter, mobile health services, and water, sanitation and hygiene. We also are working with the Ministry of Health, as well as local partners, on coordinating efforts to meet those needs. International Medical Corps’ Emergency Response Unit is standing by to support the Libya country mission, based on the outcome of the needs assessment, and is monitoring the situation as it develops.
You can help the families affected by this catastrophic flooding.