The Libyan Audit Bureau announced the scheduling of a technical meeting at the end of May to address the issue of rising groundwater levels in Zliten, with the participation of Dutch experts.
The meeting was held on Monday, between the head of the bureau, Khalid Shakshak, and the Dutch Ambassador to Libya and the Acting Chargé d’Affaires of the Libyan Embassy in the Netherlands, according to a statement by the bureau.
Discussions at the meeting covered the causes of the phenomenon and its current status, along with the latest findings of the technical committee appointed by the Housing and Utilities Projects Execution Authority and the emergency committee appointed by the National Oil Corporation (NOC) in this regard.
Additionally, the meeting reviewed the results obtained by the National Consultancy Office and the Rawafid Company for Geotechnical and Geophysical Studies and Surveying Studies.
The meeting also addressed the key efforts being made in this field and the potential for leveraging the expertise of Dutch companies, both in addressing the phenomenon in Zliten and in managing water resources.
In March, the Zliten Municipality Mayor, Miftah Hamadi, stated that the groundwater level in the city has decreased but is expected to rise again by next November if the crisis is not addressed.
Hamadi mentioned in a press statement that due to limited resources, there are water pools inaccessible to them, and they continue to combat the insects that have spread due to the stagnant water.
He noted that the total number of families displaced from their homes due to the rise in water levels reached 90 families. Additionally, they provided rent allowances to affected families with limited efforts. He concluded that approximately 55 families remain uninhabited due to lack of resources.
In February, the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) declared the city of Zliten a disaster zone, allocating funds to address the crisis. The parliament-designated government is tasked with monitoring the situation in the city.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of the Parliament-designate government, Osama Hammad, declared a state of emergency in the city of Zliten due to a rise in groundwater levels on the surface.
