UN delivers aid and support to people affected by Storm Daniel in eastern Libya

TRIPOLI – 17 September – A team from 9 UN entities has been on the ground delivering aid and support to those affected by Storm Daniel and the flash flooding for the last few days.

On 15 and 16 September, the UN interagency team conducted field visits to Derna, Shahat, Soussa and al Bayda towns to assess needs. In particular, the UN interagency team was in Derna and the surrounding area assessing needs and delivering aid. As a part of this effort, UNICEF delivered interagency emergency medical kits to primary care services to support 15,000 people as well as supported the dispatch of 32,000 chlorine water purification kits while the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) distributing core relief kits of blankets, plastic tarpaulin and kitchen equipment to 6,200 families in Derna and Benghazi.

Since the crisis began, food has been distributed to over 5,000 households through the World Food Programme (WFP) and 28 tons of medical supplies have been shipped by charter flight from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has also donated ambulances and medical kits.  

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has supported 460 families with non-food items and a further 4,000 in Benghazi with medicine. IOM has four medical teams on the ground offering lifesaving and disease prevention care to internally displaced people, particularly the Tawergha population.

Both local officials, aid agencies and the WHO team are concerned about the risk of disease outbreak, particularly from contaminated water and the lack of sanitation. The team continues to work to prevent diseases from taking hold and causing a second devastating crisis in the area.   

To coordinate the international community’s response, the UN has launched an emergency flash appeal totaling $71.4 million, and $10 million has been allocated from the UN’s Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to support people affected by the floods. 

The UN in Libya continues to coordinate with government authorities, local and international partners to ensure that support reaches the affected population in the entire region.