The Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh affirmed that the government is being tasked with restoring normalcy, within a period not exceeding six months.
This statement came on Thursday, during a Parliamentary session held to discuss the repercussions of the flooding that struck eastern Libya, claiming thousands of lives and leaving countless missing.
Saleh urged the government to “intensify its efforts in confronting the catastrophe.” He expressed gratitude to friendly countries for their assistance during these challenging circumstances.
The Speaker praised the government, the Libyan National Army (LNA), and the Red Crescent for their ongoing efforts. He affirmed the urgent need to “provide aid to the affected individuals, and restore stability.”
Saleh highlighted that the situation in Derna was a major disaster, calling on Libyans to demonstrate patience in the face of the natural calamity that has befallen the country.
The city faces a mounting humanitarian crisis following storm Daniel, with recent sources from the region now reporting an alarming death toll surpassing 7,000.
In press statements to Sky News Arabia, Ayman Badr, a member of Libya’s permanent delegation to the United Nations, revealed the harrowing scale of the tragedy. Badr highlighted the city’s dire situation, stating that “not only has the death count in Derna reached over 7,000, but it continues to rise with each passing hour.”
On Thursday, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that “most of the victims of the devastating floods that claimed thousands of lives and left many missing in eastern Libya could have been saved.”
During a press conference in Geneva, WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas stated that “it would have been possible to issue warnings, and emergency management authorities could have evacuated the residents, thus avoiding most of the human losses,” according to the AFP.
Taalas pointed out the lack of organisation, amid the prevailing chaos in the country since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
“If they would have been a normally operating meteorological service, they could have issued warnings. The emergency management authorities would have been able to carry out evacuations of people. We could have avoided most of the human casualties,” he added.
In 2022, scientific research published indicated that Derna was prone to recurring flash floods, through dry riverbeds.