On Friday, the World Food Programme (WFP) announced its plans to expand its support, aiming to reach up to 100,000 individuals in the storm-hit areas in Libya.
The WFP highlighted severe disruptions in food supply chains, particularly in the city of Derna and its surroundings.
The United Nations (UN)-affiliated programme, stated that it has tapped into previously stocked food reserves, in collaboration with its partner, LibAid, to assist families directly affected by the Daniel catastrophe.
“We are working to expand the scope of support to reach 100,000 people in the most affected areas,” it added.
Last week, the UN WFP issued an urgent appeal for donations to aid the victims of the storm Daniel.
Notably, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), revealed that the recent floods in northeastern Libya, have forced an estimated 43,059 individuals to flee their homes.
In a recent report, the IOM said the scarcity of water supply has been a driving factor behind the displacement of many residents from Derna. This shift has contributed to a decrease in the overall number of displaced individuals, within Derna itself.
As the situation develops, more displaced individuals are relocating to eastern areas, such as Tobruk, where approximately 1,320 people have sought refuge. Benghazi has also seen an influx, with around 730 seeking shelter there. The majority of these are being hosted by relatives, and extended families.
According to the IOM, field observers have reported that displaced families from Derna are also seeking refuge in Tripoli, Misrata, Gharyan, and Qasr bin Ghasheer. Many of them are temporarily staying with host families, who have opened their doors to provide shelter.
On 10 September, a devastating storm swept through several eastern regions of Libya, notably the cities of Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Sousse. This resulted in significant destruction, and led to the loss of thousands of lives, injuries, and missing individuals.
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres called a flood that killed thousands in Derna, Libya a “symbol of the world’s ills.”
“Even as we speak now, bodies are washing ashore from the same Mediterranean sea where billionaires sunbathe on their super yachts,” Guterres said in the opening of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, on Tuesday.
“Derna is a sad snapshot of the state of our world – the flood of inequity, of injustice, of inability to confront the challenges in our midst,” he added.